Lewis County veteran helps those who served with local resources and services
Lewis County Veterans Benefits Specialist Heidi Palmer shares a variety of services and resource information with local veterans from her office in Chehalis.
CHEHALIS – Lewis County Veterans will soon be offered peer counseling services in addition to housing, health care and other community resources provided by the county veterans’ relief funds.
The Lewis County Veterans Service Office, in cooperation with the local organization Veterans Journey Forward and Veterans Memorial Museum, will coordinate the new services to be offered at the museum, located at 100 SW Veterans Way in Chehalis.
Veteran certified peer training is scheduled April 17-21 at the museum in Chehalis. Participation is free to veterans and their spouses. Register at www.veteransjourneyforward.org or by calling 360-740-8875.
There are over 8,000 veterans of the armed services living in Lewis County. Dozens more on active duty, and all are served by the county’s Veterans Benefits Specialist Heidi Palmer from her Veterans Service Office located in the Public Health and Social Services building at 360 NW North St. in Chehalis.
As a veteran herself, Palmer is best prepared to serve other vets and their families, providing emergency financial assistance to those who qualify for the Veterans Relief Fund, as well as help guide veterans through the Veterans Administration (VA) disability compensation process.
Palmer shared that the Lewis County Veterans Relief Fund is available to veterans who are a Lewis County resident, have an honorable discharge from service and meet poverty guidelines to receive housing assistance, gas and propane vouchers, transportation to medical appointments, resources from other social service providers, and application for military records, plus other claims made to the VA.
Following a successful first-ever Veteran Stand Down resource event in 2022, another event is planned for the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds this September.