Veterans outreach event to be held in Nitro

Community members gather at Living Memorial Park in Nitro earlier this year. A Veterans Outreach will be held at the site on Oct. 5.Photo byCity of Nitro

NITRO, W.Va. -- Kanawha Valley veterans will soon have the opportunity to network and connect with community programs at an upcoming event in Nitro.

A Veterans Outreach fair, hosted by the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center and the city of Nitro, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5. The event takes place at Veterans Memorial Park, at the corner of Second Avenue and 21st Street in Nitro.

Representatives from the VA Medical Center and other community organizations will be on hand for the fair, organizers said. Participants will be able to ask questions and get information on veterans' programs and benefits.

“The city of Nitro is proud to host the Hershel 'Woody' Williams VA Medical Center and many other community veteran organizations,” city officials said in an announcement about the Oct. 5 event.

In the case of inclement weather, the fair will be held in the Nitro Wars Museum, located at 2003 20th St.

According to data from the Veterans Administration, West Virginia’s veteran population numbered more than 141,000 as of 2019. The closest VA Medical Center to the Kanawha Valley is located in Huntington.

Nitro was built during World War I to manufacture munitions for the U.S. Army. The city is home to several municipally-owned veterans memorials, including Living Memorial Park at the corner of 21st Street and Second Avenue; the Nitro Veterans Memorial at the corner of 21st Street and Bank Street; and the World War II Memorial, located on 19th Street beside Nitro City Park.

More information on October’s Veterans Outreach in Nitro can be found on Facebook.

Michael Ramsburg is a Kanawha County communities reporter. He can be reached at ramsburgreports@gmail.com or by calling 304-370-3067.