GREENVILLE – The Great Darke County Fair celebrated Armed Forces Day on August 26 with a host of activities to show appreciation for our country’s veterans and active-duty military.
Veterans and their immediate families were welcomed to the fair with free admission to the fair, free donuts, a memorial parade and service, and a free dinner.
The Veterans’ Building next to the Coliseum provided free gifts and donuts while sharing information about Darke County Veterans Services. The organization’s director, Thomas Pitman, explained some of the services the organization provides, including assisting veterans and their widows with wartime pensions, death benefits, transportation to the Dayton and Cincinnati VA facilities, and financial assistance.
Darke County Veterans Services also organizes and raises funds for an all-expenses-paid four-day trip to Washington, D.C., for area veterans. Pitman, who served in the US Air Force from 1986 to 2010, described his involvement with the organization as “a stroke of luck.” He said, “This has been a very rewarding second job for me.”
Pitman stated that the organization’s display at the fair is a way to raise awareness of what the group offers and to provide outreach to veterans. Their office on Wagner Avenue is also open year-round. “Anything military related, if we don’t have the answers, we will find it for them.”
Armed Forces Day at the fair also featured a Memorial Parade and Service at the Grandstand. Following that, a free dinner was provided to veterans and their spouses at the Tribute Rest Tent next to the gazebo. The dinner was hosted by Tribute Funeral Home with the support of the following sponsors:
