By BILL DOSS
Hamilton County Veterans Corp.
In 2025, the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps will celebrate their 250th anniversaries – a momentous milestone in our nation’s history and one that everyone in the veteran and military family is a part of. We see this anniversary not only as an opportunity to reflect on 250 years of dedication and sacrifice, but as a call to action to continue that legacy through service, not only to our country but within our communities.
As 2025 begins and people hone in on resolutions and what they want to prioritize this year, we are asking our network of veterans, military family members and our neighbors to strengthen their commitment to patriotic participation in your community, city, county, or local veterans/military family events/activities. To help you in this endeavor, the Hamilton County Veterans Corp. (HCVC) has some great ways to make this easy for you.
HCVC has been around for over 20 years helping our military veteran community and we are still going strong today. In 2025 we will be hosting two Hamilton County Community Resource Fairs, one on June 6 and one on Oct. 11. We also just finished a Care Package Drive sending 148 boxes of goods to our over 600 deployed Hoosier Heroes. But not to worry, we are getting ready to start up a new care package drive that you all may get involved in … Christmas In June for our Troops.
The best thing we can do as individuals and as an organization is to bring the resources and services to our communities so we all may know where to turn when help/assistance is needed. We can then take that knowledge home and share those connections with our loved ones and neighbors thus building stronger communities where we all may live a more fulfilled life. To do this, the HCVC has partnered with over 150 resources and services which most will be at our Hamilton County Community Resource Fairs for everyone to connect with.
Both Fairs are being driven by the Hamilton County Veterans Corp., the Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County, and the Roudebush VA Hospital team. There will be over 100 tables of resources/services at both Fairs for you to come speak with and get connected. The June 6, 2025 Fair will be at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Oct. 11, 2025 Fair will be at the Boys and Girls Club of Noblesville, 1700 Connor St., Noblesville, from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m.
The next care package drive for our deployed troops will start in February and will end by mid-May so we can ship the packages to arrive overseas by mid-June. This will be our “Christmas in June” Care Package Drive. Lynn Epperson and Cliff Morlan of the HCVC, Tracy Huser and Pat Menc from Fishers American Legion Post 470, and Kim Kilburn and Linda Amstutz from the Carmel American Legion Post 155 will spearhead this event and send out more information as the plan comes together. The overview of the plan is for all our Hamilton County VFW & American Legion Posts as well as any surrounding county Post to gather the gifts and deliver them to the Fishers Post by mid-May (date to be determined) for a Christmas in June packaging party. Do not wrap the gifts as we need to see what they are for Customs clarification. Some gift ideas we got from the overseas Chaplain, Clifford Pappe, are:
- Card games (Phase 10, Uno, etc)
- Puzzles, brain games, fun games
- Boxes of Keurig cups
- Graphic T-shirts: S, M, L, XL, XXL fun, sports, (something like Green Day Men’s & Big Men’s Dookie Graphic Tee Shirt – Walmart.com)
- Water bottles
- Throw blankets, fleece blankets
- Decorations for office and living spaces (Christmas lights, signs, banners. People love to decorate their room areas or office space.)
- … or any other fun items
If you are wanting to assist in these events, make donations, help package, etc., please reach out to Lynn Epperson at secretary@hamiltoncountyveterans.com.
More information will be coming as plans are made for these resource fairs and our Christmas in June drive.