Rensselaer Elks Lodge gives back with Veterans Stand Down Event

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Rensselaer Elks Lodge in East Greenbush is giving back for the second year to those who chose to serve with their Veterans Stand Down Day event for veterans in need.

The Veterans Stand Down Day event offers free assistance to veterans. Cheri Rigsbee is the Chairperson of the Veterans Committee for the Elks Lodge and says that many were involved with organizing the event.

“Under one roof, we brought in a lot of service providers,” Rigsbee said. “We also have a lot of healing people in the building in nursing. And a lot of clothing and a lot of food as well for our veterans.”

Multiple vendors were available to help former service members in need, from healthcare to housing, like Ibi Semper Training for veterans with PTSD in need of service dogs.

“We train veterans and first responders with PTSD to train their dogs to become PTSD Service Dogs,” Sonya Ward, Founder of Ibi Semper Training, said.

This is Paul Endres's second time attending, and now he wants to give back to those who helped him. “

“I also want to volunteer for the American Red Cross because the Red Cross does a lot for a lot of people,” Endre said. “And the VA does a lot for u.”

Greg Collins is also with the Elks Lodge, and he says this program needs to be done to help serve veterans.

“There's a lot of organizations that are here that take good care of our veterans,” Collins said. “But organizations like ours are here to help fill in the cracks and just put all this stuff in one place to make it easy for veterans to get together.”