Businesses Reach Out for Vets

By: Dan Meyer

The office hours for the Big Stone County Veterans Service Office are 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. My office phone number is (320) 839-6398.

There is a new program that I would like to start in Big Stone County. Some local businesses have already started this program.

Last year, I applied for and received outreach grant funds via the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

Here’s the new program idea. If you are a business located in Big Stone County, I have ordered 100 business card holders and 5,000 business cards for our local businesses who would like to get the word out concerning VA services provided to our veterans.

But Dan, how will this program and having CVSO business cards in my business help me? Good question. Let’s say a veteran who shops or is in your business receiving your services, and he or she sees the business card and thinks that maybe they should call Dan in his office.

The person calls my office and after a discussion about VA services/benefits with veteran or the veteran’s surviving spouse, we find out that the veteran should apply for a service-connected disability(s). We submit a claim for the veteran’s disability(s) and Veterans Affairs finds in favor of the veteran and grants the disability. Let’s say the veteran is granted a dollar amount each month for disability compensation. Hopefully, the veteran will have more resources to buy additional services/products from your business.

Please call or stop by my office and let me know if you want to display business cards that will help out our veterans.

In the “Did you Know?” segment. Did you know that the Big Stone County Fair and the Ortonville 72^nd Annual Cornfest Celebration are fast approaching? Stop by the Veterans Benefits Booth at these events and let’s talk!

Until next week, take care and “Fair Winds and Following Seas!”