The Veteran Center, located at 23222 Lyons Avenue in Newhall, is in its third year of existence at the Santa Clarita Veteran Service Collaborative, and exciting things are happening.

Every First, Second and Third Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Center is serving veterans in need of help with benefits, and it now turns away too many, so any VSO who can assist would be welcome to contact us.

The Food Pantry is getting so many contributors that the Center has expanded the veteran giveaway to five days a week. The “Help the Children” nonprofit is one of the main providers, which is sincerely appreciated, as is Vons Market and the many local individual contributors.

Take a look at our newly re-activated web site…SCV-vets.org. You’ll find new information.

On the event front, the Collaborative recently was one of the sponsors of the Veteran Appreciation Day, held this past month at the premises of the VFW on Sierra Highway. That great day included a pancake breakfast, a barbeque lunch, other activities, and the usual gift presentation to veterans, courtesy of Home Depot. There’s talk of moving to a great new site for the next yearly event.

In the works is a special Movie Night fund raiser planned for September or October, but more about that later (and very soon).

The Center continues to serve veterans, and more and more nonprofits and businesses are joining the group. Th group still meets the 3rd Friday of every month, 11:30 a.m. at the University Center, room 301, on campus of the College of The Canyons, and all attendees (usually 35 to 50) are treated to lunch, sponsored each month by a different member. Feel free to drop in and meet the folks, and maybe join in our effort to improve the lives of the local veterans and their families.

As an aside, the Center would like to congratulate its Chairman of the Board, Dennis Witzel who was just selected to be one of the veterans honored at the Patriot Luncheon to be held in July, for his service and commitment to the local community.

For more information or to assist the Veteran Center, call (661) 670-8680.