The 1st Wharton County Veterans Benefits & Services (WCVBS) Fair was held on Saturday, August 23, 2014, at the El Campo Civic Center, located in El Campo, Texas. With over 400 Veterans attending the event, it can be assumed to have been a huge success! The purpose of the Fair was to promote the benefits & services that the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Texas Veterans Commission, local government entities, and local businesses have to offer to Veterans and or family members or their survivors.
Above photo shows the Wharton County VSO (Dwight Winkler), organizer of the event, setting up the VSO's Veteran's display area inside the El Campo Civic Center, the night before the big event.
The Fair was hosted by the seven military organizations (The Veterans Council) residing in Wharton County. They are listed below.
Use the links below to view more details regarding the formation of the Veteran's Council, the planning details for the WCVBS Fair, and the home page for the Wharton County VSO.
Note: This web page and all web pages linked to below are provided for the WC VSO as a courtesy from the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 1069, El Campo, Texas.
CLICK HERE to read about the formation of the Veterans Council in El Campo
CLICK HERE to read about the WCVBS Fair planning details
CLICK HERE to view the home page for the Wharton County VSO
Patty Jensen of Danevang, Texas, was Master of Ceremonies for the event (see above photo). She opened the event with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a brief introduction of the host organization commanders. She then proceeded to draw ten door prizes of $20 each at specified intervals during the following 6 hours of the event. She also announced the names of the 33 persons, businesses and organizations that provided sponsorships for the Fair with all money for the Fair coming from these donations.
A free chicken spaghetti lunch (see above photo), catered by the El Campo knights of Columbus, was provided from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM. The benefits and services portion of the Fair was provided by 54 exhibitors from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Texas Veteran's Commission, Wharton County organizations, businesses, and individuals, as well as the seven military organizations in Wharton County. During the Fair, Veterans, their family members or survivors of Veterans, visited the exhibits and obtained information on home loans, land loans, state Veterans cemeteries, state Veterans homes, home health care, local nursing homes, United States and Texas elected officials, voter registration, educational information from WCJC, local Veteran support groups, local hospitals, local museums, and benefits and services from the Wharton County Veterans Service Officer (VSO). The visiting Veterans were able to obtain/collect the initials of each exhibitor onto a Grand Prize sheet card, that they then turned into a central collection table. Through this process, the visiting Veterans were then eligible for 3 individual Grand Prize drawings, worth $100, $300 and $500.
The winner of the $500 Grand Prize drawing was Jan Schultis. She is also a Veteran of the War in Afghanistan, and was an exhibitor in the Fair. The winner of the $300 Grand Prize drawing was Stanley Spalek of Ganado, Texas. The winner of the $100 Grand Prize drawing was Floyd Winn of Wharton, Texas.
Persons attending the Fair were able to receive a free hearing exam provided by “New Sound Hearing” of Columbus, Texas. 70 visiting Veterans took advantage of the free hearing test service. Each military organization was allocated stroke scan exams from ‘Stroke Scan Plus” of Katy, Texas. The total number of scan exams given to the visiting Veterans and spouses were based upon the membership of each organization and thus 43 exams were paid for from sponsorships that were obtained before the Fair began. The stroke scan exams, Civic Center rental and all other expenses were paid for by the sponsors listed below.
The Wharton County military organization Commanders will meet and determine when and where the next Wharton County Veterans Benefits & Services Fair will be held. The Commanders would like to express their appreciation to all 54 exhibitors and the volunteers who worked the tables in the El Campo Civic Center foyer and inside the Civic Center, as the Veterans, their families, and survivors of Veterans were greeted, given lunch and door prize tickets, and a Grand Prize card sheet. More volunteers reviewed the Grand Prize card sheets for eligibility and the Grand Prizes were drawn to determine the winners.
List of event sponsors:
Platinum Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
Bronze sponsors:
Friends of Veterans:
Additional Donations:
James and Margaret Kulcak donated 500 pens for the Wharton County VSO to distribute at the Fair.
Photos taken at the Fair:
Above photo shows the VSO's entire Veteran's display area. This photo was taken the night before the big event.
Above photo shows one of the VSO displays that provides information to the Veteran about "Headstone or Marker for a Veteran's Grave".
Above photo shows one of the VSO displays that provides information to the Veteran about "Presidential Memorial Certificate".
Above photo shows one of the VSO displays that provides information to the Veteran about "High School Diploma for WWII Veterans".
Above photo shows one of the VSO displays that provides information to the Veteran about "Tax exemptions for disabled Veterans or their survivors".
Above photo shows one of the VSO displays that provides information to the Veteran about "Replacement medals and ribbons".
Above photo shows one of the VSO displays that provides information to the Veteran about the "VA and Texas Veterans Commission".
Above photo shows the VSO making final preparations for the next day's big event.
Above photo shows the VSO on the opening morning of the big event.
Above photo and those several photos below show the crowds building and gathering during the late morning hours.
And again, over 400 Veteran visitors attended the day event!
Above photo shows the Veteran's Affairs emergency vehicle that was parked just outside of the Civic Center. This is one of 3 vehicles that operate here in Texas. This particular team drove down from San Antonio. The VA team was handing out flyers and giving tours of the inside of the vehicle.
Above photo shows the one of two large projector screens inside the Civic Center. VVA Chapter 1069 provided computer slides, videos and music throughout the day.
The information contained on this webpage is intended for ALL Veterans in the Wharton County area. You may call Dwight Winkler at his VSO Office (979-532-1311) if you have any questions about the information contained herein.