RIDGECREST, Calif. (KERO) — Hundreds of veterans are expected to pour into Ridgecrest on Friday, September 30th, to take part in the 14th annual Ridgecrest Stand Down. It is the first since the start of the pandemic.
The event is put on by the Ridgecrest Veterans Advisory Council and will feature more than 60 vendors, representatives, and organizations in one place. There will be representatives from Kern, Fresno, Riverside, and Los Angeles County to deal with many issues, including homelessness.
The Stand Down is designed to help veterans who might need help getting benefits, mental health services, and more. More than 300 veterans have shown up in the past.
"It's not a large population, by no means," said Nick Coy of the Ridgecrest Veterans Advisory Council. "It's grown a little bit since the pandemic but it's still not a huge amount. We've actually had more that we've dealt with this year than we have in the past."
The event starts at 9 a.m. with a color guard and will run until 2 p.m. It will take place at the Kerr McGee Community Center, located at 100 West California Ave in Ridgecrest.
