Chancellor’s reception to kick off week of veterans events at UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will kick off a full week of events honoring campus and community military veterans Monday, Nov. 11, hosting the Chancellor’s Veteran Reception from 4-6 p.m. in the Phoenix Room of the University Union on campus, 2420 Nicolet Drive.
The annual Veterans Day event is held to recognize all campus and community veterans, as well as individuals currently serving in the military. At this year’s event, three student veteran alumni will share their personal stories with attendees.
“The Chancellor’s Veteran Reception offers a wonderful chance to honor UW-Green Bay and community veterans and military service members, thanking them for their sacrifice and showing the gratitude we feel year-round,” said Elaina Koltz, UW-Green Bay veteran services adviser. “We are pleased to be building on this annual event with an entire week of activities designed to inform and to express our thanks.”
UW-Green Bay has 350 individuals receiving veteran benefits, including 242 veterans and service members, as well as dependents. That number is expected to increase to more than 400 by early next year, Koltz said. UW-Green Bay recently was named a Military Friendly School for the fifth consecutive year, an honor bestowed by Victory Media Inc. that recognizes the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that do the most to embrace military service members, veterans and spouses as students, and to ensure their success on campus.
During veterans week, members of the UW-Green Bay community are encouraged to wear military-insignia apparel to show support for military members and veterans. Throughout the month, organizers also will be collecting items (including hygiene and clothing items, blankets and nonperishable food) for Operation Ready, Aim, Comfort, to help homeless veterans in Brown, Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet counties. Interested parties can drop off donations in suite 1200 of the Student Services Building on campus, or contact UW-Green Bay graduate student Mike Crum, crumsm19@uwgb.edu, for information.
Additional veterans week events are as follows:
• Community Veteran Volunteer Organizations Round Robin, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, Phoenix Room C, University Union. Community veteran organizations including Desert Vets of Wisconsin, VFW and American Legion will present information and answer questions.
• 5K Veteran Awareness Walk, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. Starts and ends at the Mauthe Center on campus, with walk taking place on the Cofrin Arboretum Trail. Attendees are invited to sign up and start at the Mauthe Center any time between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., weather permitting. Cost is $5 per person.
• LTC (Retired) Cynthia Rasmussen visit, 3:30-5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, Christie Theatre, University Union. LTC (Retired) Rasmussen served as a mental health nurse in the Army Reserves for 23 years. She will speak about the difficulties of going from combat back into the classroom/community. A panel of student veterans will answer questions as part of the event.
• Veteran Open House and Picnic, noon-2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, Mauthe Center. All veterans are welcome to visit with representatives from the Vet Center, Veteran Clinic, Wisconsin Job Service Center and Brown County Veterans Service Office.
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