Mayor Nancy Denson proclaimed Wednesday, Dec. 2, as “Supermarket of Veterans Benefits Day” in Athens-Clarke County. The free event will be held in the Classic Center.

Georgia Commissioner of Veterans Service Mike Roby and members of the State Veterans Service Board met with Mayor Denson Wednesday at the Athens-Clarke County City Hall for the issuing of a proclamation declaring the day as “Supermarket of Veterans Benefits Day.”

“Athens is excited to have an event like this taking place for our community,” Mayor Denson said. “We need to take care of our veterans now more than ever and Athens is ready to show our appreciation for the men and women who have given us so much already.”

Mayor Denson noted the free event will take place in downtown Athens. The Supermarket has been a signature annual event of the GDVS for decades, held in various cities across the state.

“We have been holding Supermarkets since 1966,” Commissioner Roby said. “Thousands of veterans and their families have benefited from the Supermarket. Our Athens team is proud to host the Supermarket this year.”

The Supermarket of Veterans Benefits will be held at the Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St., Athens, Georgia from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Veterans and their families who attend may park in the Classic Center’s parking deck. Parking is $1 per hour, credit cards only.

In addition to the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, some of the other agencies represented will include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; the Social Security Administration; the University of Georgia; TRICARE; the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Small Business Administration; the Georgia Department of Driver Services; the Georgia and U.S. Departments of Labor; and representatives of state and federal medical facilities.

The event will include a health fair provided by medical personnel from the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta. Free medical screenings and seasonal flu shots will be available.

The State of Georgia offers free assistance to veterans through the GDVS, the state government agency established for the purpose of advising, counseling, and assisting veterans and their families in receiving their earned benefits under the vast, frequently changing, and complex framework of veterans’ laws.

At the local level, the GDVS operates a Veterans Field Service Office in Athens, serving veterans in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, and Oglethorpe counties. The office is managed by Dale Bell, assisted by Ramona Roper and Ron Cason. The office is located at 9249 U.S. Highway 29 South. Call 706-369-5630 or email [email protected] for assistance.

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Supermarket of Veterans Benefits

10 a.m.-3 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2

Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St., Athens, GA 30601

Parking is $1 per hour, credit cards only.

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For more information on the content of this news release, please contact the GDVS Public Information Division at 404-656-5933 or [email protected].