Outreach Events
Additional Links and Resources
OUR 2020 OUTREACH CALENDAR IS HERE!
June is VA time at Laconia Bike Week!
June means it's time for "Bike Week" in New Hampshire at Laconia Motorcycle Week, the oldest motorcycle rally in the world! Located in Laconia, New Hampshire, Bike Week opens on June 13th and runs through June 21st.
Veterans, and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces, are encouraged to stop by VA's information center located at Weirs Beach at 208 Lakeside Avenue, Laconia, N.H., 03246, in front of the New Hampshire Veterans’ Association’s Headquarters, right across from the Mount Washington Cruises ticket station and Lake Winnipesaukee railroad station.
For the entire week, representatives from VA will be at our VA Health Care Weirs Beach Outreach Center to discuss benefits and help Veterans with enrolling into VA health care. VA will also be providing eligible Veterans with free T-shirts as well as other cool giveaways on certain days while supplies last. Just look for our red "Did You Serve in the Military" outreach tent.
Driving Directions to Bike Week:
To Weirs Beach from the South:
In NH, take Exit 20 from Route 93. Take a left off the exit onto Routes 3 & 11. Follow this road for approximately 10 miles. After you drive past the Belknap Mall, take a right just before the lights onto the Laconia Bypass/Route 11. Follow until the loop at the end and take a right. Follow this road straight through the lights. Bear right at the next set of lights. This is Weirs Boulevard. Stay left at the fork. Follow this road along the lake to Weirs Beach.
To Weirs Beach from Bristol or New Hampton by Route 93 exit 23 to Meredith or Weirs Beach:
East on Route 104 to a “T” junction with Route 3. Left/north to Meredith center, Hart's Turkey Farm, Hobo Railroad and parking; all within a half mile. Right/south on Route 3 to Weirs Beach and Laconia; about three miles.
The VA New England Healthcare System is at several community outreach events throughout the year to help Veterans with learning about VA benefits.
Team specialists attend events and set up tables and outreach tents to assist Veterans with applying for VA health care and to discuss other VA services and programs.
To help determine eligibility for benefits, Veterans should bring a copy of their DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty." To learn more about eligibility for VA health care and find additional VA New England Healthcare System outreach resources, visit www.newengland.va.gov/outreach.
OTHER MAJOR EVENTS IN 2020
WHERE VA NEW ENGLAND OUTREACH SPECIALISTS
WILL BE PRESENT INCLUDE:
NASCAR, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H., July 16-19, https://www.nhms.com
Marshfield Fair, Marshfield, Mass., Aug. 21-30, https://marshfieldfair.org
Skowhegan State Fair, Aug. 13-22, Skowhegan, Maine, http://skowheganstatefair.com
Champlain Valley Fair Military Appreciation Day, Essex Junction, Vt., Sept. 4, https://champlainvalleyfair.org
The Big E Military Appreciation Day, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Mass., Sept. 18, https://www.thebige.com
The Durham Fair, Durham, Conn, Sept. 24-27, https://www.durhamfair.com
In addition to the above list of major events, VA New England’s outreach team expects to support another 150 outreach events and more than 500 outreach activities in 2020. These include small community gatherings to large conferences and regional celebrations.
In the greater Boston area, VA New England is a team partner with the Boston 25 Morning News Team’s popular “Zip Trips,” which makes several stops throughout the summer at local cities and towns.
At each Zip Trip destination, VA New England sets up an outreach tent and is available to meet with Veterans about VA benefits. Check the Zip Trip schedule this summer at https://www.boston25news.com/specials/ziptrips/.
To find out about other outreach events in your area, connect with our VA New England outreach team:
- Jim Christie, VA Maine and Manchester VA Medical Center, james.christie2@va.gov
- Orville Grizzle, VA Connecticut, orville.grizzle@va.gov
- Kyle Toto, VA Providence, VA Boston and VA Central Western Massachusetts, kyle.toto@va.gov
- Dana Castagneto, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (VA Bedford) and White River Junction VA Medical Center, dana.castagneto@va.gov
