VFW Post 696 Auxiliary is hosting a free “Coffee with Veterans” event at 9 a.m. Saturday. The event is for veterans of all ages to come together and build a community, specifically trying to bridge the gap between generations.
This event is open to all veterans, especially those who have been a part of recent wars including Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Event organizers said to date there has not been a specific gathering of veterans from this next generation, and the goal is to build connections and provide support for one another.
Complimentary coffee and donuts are being provided by the VFW Post 696 Auxiliary and the American Gold Star Mothers.
The event is the brainchild of Brian Basham, who is the Veteran Employment Consultant for the Kentucky State Career Center. His role includes working as a case manager for veterans, including those who are disabled or homeless.
Basham said he was talking to a friend about how Owensboro needed to do something to get younger veterans involved with the older ones.
“Our main goal is to just get everybody connected,” he said. “If coffee and donuts are going to bring everyone together, then by all means let’s do it. I just wanted a place where all us veterans can talk, hang out, network if we need to, that kind of thing.”
Basham said the long-term goal is to turn the meetings into an event with a speaker from the community, such as a business owner talking to veterans about how to start a business or someone in the finance industry discussing how veterans can set themselves up better financially.
He’s hoping they can host the Coffee with Veterans event once a month if there’s enough interest.
