The seventh annual Veteran & Senior Fair is coming to The Vault in downtown Galesburg on Wednesday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to noon — and this year is shaping up to be the biggest yet.
Illinois State Representative Dan Swanson, Megan Brown of Seminary Estates, Bridgette Teel of Hawthorne Inn Assisted Living, and Tracy Lannholm of Seminary Manor joined Galesburg In Focus to talk about the event, the state of veterans' services in Illinois, and what Seminary Village's continuum of care looks like for seniors and their families.
Topics covered in this interview:
- What's new at this year's fair — nearly 60 vendors, free haircuts for veterans from Lauren's Barber Shop and BZ's Chop Shop, hearing and vision screenings from the Illinois Lions Club bus, blood pressure checks, and medication disposal
- A free continental breakfast provided by Carriage House
- A canned food drive benefiting the Knox County Veterans Assistance Commission food pantry
- Rep. Swanson's 27.5 years of military service — including his voluntary return to active duty in Iraq in 2007
- The gaps that still exist for Illinois veterans — transportation, "veteran deserts," and mental health access
- Current legislation on National Guard recruitment and regional Veterans Assistance Commissions
- Seminary Village's continuum of care — from independent living at Seminary Estates to assisted living at Hawthorne Inn to skilled care and rehabilitation at Seminary Manor's Bounceback program
- The "test drive" — how prospective residents can stay in a furnished apartment before making a permanent decision
- Bounceback celebrating 20 years
- A 103-year-old World War II veteran who may attend the fair
The Veteran & Senior Fair is free and open to the public. The Vault is located at 185 S. Kellogg St. in downtown Galesburg. Bring a non-perishable item to support the Knox County VAC food pantry.
For more information, call 309-344-1300 or email marketing@seminaryvillage.com.