In 2015, Southwestern Community Services, led by their Supportive Services for Veterans Program staff members John Rider and Matt Primrose, held the first Cheshire County Veterans Summit & Stand Down. The event featured representatives from several local service agencies that shared information and resources for area veterans, in an effort to make them aware of, and to provide easy access to the region’s many services available to them. The event was a tremendous success, with hundreds of veterans in attendance. SCS would continue to host the event annually for the next four years, the last being in September of 2018.

Fast forward to 2022… Southwestern Community Services has partnered with the Keene Family YMCA to bring this valuable resource back to the community. 

“There are so many veterans out there who aren’t aware of the resources and support services available to them,” Matt Primrose, who now works as the Facilities Manager at the Keene Family YMCA said about resurrecting the event. 

“The team here at the Y started talking about how we could honor our veterans this fall, and that got us talking about the SCS event. We reached out to them and they were on board with the idea immediately.”

This year’s event – titled the 2022 Cheshire County Veterans Expo will take place on Friday, September 30 from 10am-3pm at the Keene Family YMCA.

Services and representatives from several agencies will be on hand, including representatives from the VA, employment counseling services with NH Employment Security, social services representatives from Southwestern Community Services and Keene Housing, New Hampshire Veterans Home, Harbor Care’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families, Frontline Foundations of North America and many more.

Veterans in attendance are invited to enjoy a free lunch, courtesy of Jake’s 5 Star, and a free haircut, courtesy of Jed’s Barber Shop. Lunch will be served from 11am-1pm. There will also be several raffle prizes, thanks to the generosity of local businesses who donated to the event.

This free event will take place rain or shine. To learn more, or if you’re interested in exhibiting at the expo or making a donation, please reach out to Matt Primrose at mprimrose@keene-ymca.org or call 603.283.5263.