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Hochul visits North Country Veterans Association

Press-Republican - 10/6/2020

Oct. 6--PLATTSBURGH -- Vets helping vets.

That's the motto that drives the volunteers who run the North Country Veterans Association (NCVA) Post 1, located on Town Line Road in the Town of Plattsburgh.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul toured the facility Monday evening for updates on Phase 3 of the facility's expansion project, which has received state funding.

"This was a place I needed to come to to just say thank you, thank you for using your own talents and your own time to care enough about the next generations of veterans," she said.

FULL-SERVICE CENTER

The NCVA was originally incorporated as the North Country Vietnam Veterans Association in 1983, later dedicating its building in September 1989, according to a historical perspective provided by trustee Ken Hynes.

The organization later deleted "Vietnam" from its name as it moved to additionally assisting veterans who served from the Gulf War to the present.

The NCVA's action plan includes creating a full-service, multi-media veterans center that features a functional library, veteran's museum, expanded food shelf, a community-based support program and a dedicated computer server network.

The historical perspective says the South Burlington Vet Center and the Albany VA Medical Center provide individual, group, spouse and significant others counseling sessions at its Town Line Road facility.

The NCVA additionally provides peer group counseling, referral services and emergency relief and safety net support to veterans and their families.

Hynes told The Press-Republican that the NCVA was in the process of finalizing its museum, finishing the floors in the gathering area and, with the next portion of state funding, bringing on an automated library system, installing software to increase audiovisual capabilities and start its oral history project.

"We thank (Hochul), and the state, for their continuous support of our projects and look forward to future endeavors."

PLACE OF BELONGING

Hochul shared how four of her uncles -- one of whom was particularly affected by his military service, and was exposed to Agent Orange -- served in the Vietnam War and, like many others, "never got the hero's welcome they deserved."

She added that, though recently-returning veterans come back to a more enlightened environment when it comes to issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, they need to know about places like the NCVA center.

"I wish my uncle had a place like this," Hochul said, standing in the NCVA's library.

"I look at this and think (that) I could see him here talking to buddies and making new friends and talking about what they went through because so many of them have kept their stories to themselves and that is not healthy. But this place is a place of belonging and a place of camaraderie."

IMPORTANT INVESTMENT

Hochul pointed to how the NCVA's food shelf storage area was filled with clothing and food.

"Now more than ever during this pandemic, there are vulnerable communities like some of the veterans and it is a shame and a black eye on our country that so many veterans have fallen through the cracks."

She stressed the need to ensure veterans have things like health care and supportive housing, and spoke to how many may now be under-employed or unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis.

"This is a place for them to know that they're part of a larger family, that their needs will not go unmet and right here they can come and get a lot of attention.

"This was an important investment from the State of New York to help them fulfill their dream of having a beautiful place like this for our veterans."

HEART AND MIND

Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) said he has secured $100,000 in the state budget for the NCVA's expansion project for three consecutive years.

"Anything we can do to help our veterans out."

He recalled visiting the facility when he was first elected, and how Hynes explained all the services the association planned to offer.

Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman pointed to how the town was the first Purple Heart designated community in the region, and pointed to the area's rich military history, which dates back to the Revolutionary War.

"My background is in counseling and one of the things that really touched my heart was to know how much resources (from NCVA) go into things like counseling and supplementing food banks," Cashman said.

"They're really helping people where individuals need it most: heart and mind."

FEDERAL AID

Asked about what planning the state was doing to try to curb state aid cuts if federal bailout money does not come down the pike, Hochul said the state was not giving up hope on the Senate and President Donald Trump coming around to providing federal assistance to states, which have been hit hard by the coronavirus.

"We believe that that is the right outcome, that has to happen in order for us to properly fund first responders, child care workers, health care workers, our teachers. It also affects public safety and that's not something we want to have compromised in the State of New York.

"Shame on them if they don't do that, and we'll get to the next question if they do not do what they're expected to do, but they still have time. They could do it right now and there'll be a lot of support among Democrats and the states to work with Republicans to get this over the finish line."

Email Cara Chapman:

cchapman@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @PPR_carachapman

REQUEST ASSISTANCE

For assistance from the North Country Veterans Association, call 518-563-3426 or contact Ken Hynes at 518-578-3544, Frank McGrath at 518-561-3737 or Robert Jean at 518-569-1670.

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