With big-name keynote speakers, inaugural Veterans First Fair a “huge success”
MENIFEE, Calif. — Featuring several special keynote speakers such as Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, Grant Gausche, Director of Riverside County Department of Veterans Services, and Colonel John Black, Regional Affairs Officer at Camp Pendleton, this weekend’s first annual “Veteran’s First Fair” was a resounding success, with several hundred attending throughout the Saturday, Sept. 4th event.
Held at MSJC’s Menifee Campus and hosted by the VFW and MilVet, with participation from several local veteran organizations, the four-hour event featured an array of veteran-specific resources including introductions, presentations and information from several local VFW Chapters, the Department of Veteran Affairs, CalVet, Semper Fi, Operation Silverstar, MilVet, the Marine Corp League and Navy League, and many more.
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Speeches by the day’s three guest speakers covered a variety of timely topics; including Sheriff Bianco, who shared stories and anecdotes regarding his father who served in Vietnam, and his son who is currently serving in the US military.
He also spoke about Riverside-native, United States Marine Corps Corporal Hunter Lopez, who sadly was among the thirteen servicemembers killed during the recent airport bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan. He also spoke about how his parents Captain Herman Lopez and Deputy Alicia Lopez, are both long-time employees of the Sheriff’s Department.
He went on to describe Lopez’s humanitarian actions that tragic day, and how it has been reported that he had just saved the life of one little girl and was going back to save another child when the second bomb exploded. He also discussed the tremendous impact the young Marine’s death – and his teammates’ deaths – had locally.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco addresses those in attendance at this weekend’s first annual “Veterans First Fair” (First Photo). Prominent and fresh on everyone’s minds was the recent tragic passing of USMC Corporal Hunter Lopez, (Second Photo, L). He was among three southern California US servicemembers killed in last month’s airport bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Additionally, Gausche gave an overview of the benefits and services the VA provides and spoke in regards to the Offices throughout Riverside County that assist Veterans and the Veteran programs that they can assist with enrolling Veterans; while Black spoke regarding the withdrawal of our troops and the end of the war in Afghanistan and discussed the importance of supporting our military members – both active and retired.
Dignitaries and guests of special note in attendance included Menifee Mayor Bill Zimmerman, Murrieta Council Member Jonathon Ingram and the Office of Senator Melendez, which also had a booth with representatives in attendance.
Despite the 100 degree temperature, during Saturday’s event area veterans, along with local dignitaries, organization representatives and others, were treated to a delicious lunch of Tri-Tip sandwiches and pasta, provided by the Menifee VFW/Auxiliary, which was served free to all those in attendance.
The event also featured a car show from a local Jeep Club and local media outlets were also invited and in attendance.
Informational booths and displays for numerous area Veteran’s service programs and organizations were also set up for the event, including Veteran Resource Assistance, Operation Silverstar, and many others.
MilVet Strong also had a popular booth that provided details of their free fitness and rehabilitation program for veterans, deployed family support, and monthly military care packages for deployed military serving overseas.
MilVet’s booth was very busy throughout the day, with volunteers John Hudson, Vito D’Angelo and Heather Rickman, along with Sheriff Chad Bianco and MilVet CEO/Founder Raven Hilden in the center, as well as Gregg Cowdery, and Jackie and Chance Aponte seen in the first photo. Numerous other informational booths and displays were set up for attendees, with representatives available to answer questions about their programs and available resources. Photos courtesy of MilVet
In addition to providing contacts and information for local resources, the event served as a remembrance of the thirteen lives lost in Afghanistan last week, MilVet Founder and CEO Raven Hilden told RCNS after the event. MilVet is a Temecula-based non-profit Military & Veteran Support Services organization that supports veterans in the community and deployed troops worldwide.
“In light of recent world events, we thought it was important that we focused on remembering and honoring the thirteen brave service men and women who lost their lives in Kabul, Afghanistan,” Hilden explained; adding, “We really wanted to provide a way for the community to come together to show their support.”
“The event was held as a way to bring the veteran community together by featuring resources, camaraderie and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” she described; adding, “The veteran community really came together to provide resources to those in need and show our solidarity and support for those we lost and those currently serving.”
Regarding why he feels it is important to honor, recognize, and care for our current and fallen servicemembers and their families, event co-creator, retired USMC Master Sergeant and VFW’s California District 3 Senior Vice Commander, John Hernandez explained, “We held this event in support of Veterans and to bring the prominent non-profit Veteran organizations together to show them what is available to them and to provide them an opportunity to ask questions and find a fit for them.”
“We also wanted to get clarity of the withdrawal of troops and Americans from Afghanistan,” Hernandez continued; adding, “Most importantly, we wanted to help provide closure on the ultimate sacrifice of the thirteen Service men and women who died in the bombing at the Airport in Kabul Afghanistan.”
“No other country does a better job of honoring those service men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” Hernandez continued. “It’s important not only for active duty but especially the Veterans who understand that we take care of our families when we take care of our own.”
“It’s also important to our future generations of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen and women. We have to show that they will never be forgotten,” he added.
Some of those in attendance at this weekend’s fair, including the day’s keynote speakers and military helping organizations, pose for a quick snapshot during the well-attended event. Photo courtesy of Cy Rathbun
As for next year, Hilden told RCNS her organization is excited for, and already looking forward to next year’s event, enthusiastically saying, “This was just the first annual Veteran’s First Fair, which we would love to see continue and grow even bigger in the coming years.”
“We plan to hold the event annually as a way to continue providing much needed resources and information to our veterans and their families and bring the community together,” she continued; adding, “We should never forget, and should always honor and support, those who served.”
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.