Serving those who served — PHOTOS

Service in the U.S. Armed Forces comes with sacrifice and in return for stepping up to don a uniform, military members earn a variety of benefits. They also earn the respect and gratitude of many of their fellow Americans, with a plethora of programs, services and offerings from nonprofits and businesses available as well. But identifying all of these benefits is not always easy.

It was with this fact in mind that the Veterans Extravaganza got its start. An event geared toward connecting former military service members with the various entities that can assist them, the Veterans Extravaganza acts as a hub for the many resources in the local community. Under the direction of the Veterans Extravaganza Committee, this event has been held every year since 2017, with the exception of 2021 when the country was still in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. Renamed the Cles Saunders Memorial Veterans Extravaganza that year in honor of a man who helped bring it to fruition, the Extravaganza has served hundreds of area veterans since its inception. Much to the committee’s delight, this year’s Veterans Extravaganza proved just as effective.

Hosted Friday, March 6 at the Bob Ruud Community Center, the Extravaganza saw 29 vendors participating, covering an array of topics. From health care and education to suicide prevention, social connection, homeownership and more, attendees were able to find an assortment of information relevant to them. A total of 105 area veterans and their family members made their way through the Extravaganza throughout the four-hour event and the committee was very pleased with the day’s turnout.

“The event was a complete success due to the fantastic teamwork of the Veterans Extravaganza Committee,” committee member Alice Lubbers told the Pahrump Valley Times afterward. “All of our members are so dedicated to serving our veteran community.”

Several governmental entities participated in the Veterans Extravaganza this year, including Pahrump Veterans Services, Nye County Health and Human Services and the Pahrump VA Clinic. Local veterans’ organizations took part as well, offering their fellow former military service members opportunities to join in. These included the Disabled American Veterans Chapter #15 and its auxiliary, the American Legion Post #22 and its auxiliary, the Sons of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #10054 and the Marine Corps League Detachment #1199.

Several veteran-forward nonprofits were in attendance that Friday, including the suicide prevention program Together with Veterans and Heroes Deserve Help, which works to provide veterans with free technology to support furthering their education or entrepreneurial ambitions.

The NyE Communities Coalition, something of a resource hub itself, had a booth at the Extravaganza. Health care organizations included Behavioral Health, Infinity Hospice, Comfort Home and Health Hospice, All Valley Home Healthcare, Alpha Stim and CareSource. Support groups such as the Prostate Cancer Support Group, Overeaters Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon took part, as did the Nevada Council for Problem Gambling. Rounding out the list of participants were Inspirations Senior Living, the Pahrump Valley Lions Club, Armed Forces, Clear Captions Phone Service, Primary Residential Mortgages, Nevada Rural Counties Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Great Basin College and Grand Canyon University.

It wasn’t all about information, however. The Extravaganza also offered attendees the chance to grab a bite to eat, with the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary hosting the free lunch. “A big thank you to the Extravaganza kitchen team, manned by the DAVA members. Their hard work ensured all veterans, family members, vendors and all other attendees enjoyed an excellent lunch,” Lubbers remarked.

There were several raffle prizes made ready for the occasion, too. Drawings included 10 gift baskets, 15 gift cards and, a particularly exciting prize, a laptop.

“A special thank you to Heroes Deserve Help, a nonprofit organization that donated the laptop computer for us,” Lubbers added, concluding, “A special thank you to Pahrump Patriot Ice for donation all of the ice we needed for the event. Also, thanks to JoAnn Newcomb for her contribution of organizing all the vendor email contacts, which provided a smooth, well-functioning event.”

The Veterans Extravaganza will return next year on Friday, March 5, 2027. Anyone interested in getting involved or learning more can contact JoAnn Newcomb Clark at JoAnn0862@gmail.com or 562-846-0664.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com