Three representatives from the INvets program in Indiana toured several facilities in Starke County during the day Wednesday to see what opportunities are available to veterans when they transition out of the service to the community.
INvets is a non-profit organization where the main focus is to go to military bases all over the country and help service members find opportunities in Indiana.
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Lisa Dan took INvets External Affairs Manager Brian Evans on the tour, along with INvets Executive Director Wes Wood and INvets Social and Digital Manager Miranda Onorio. They first stopped at the Starke County Veterans War Memorial in downtown Knox where they met with Starke County Commissioner Mark Gourley, Knox Mayor Dennis Estok and City Councilman Jeff Berg. They also went to Wythogan Park, Gary Poppins, the Henry F. Schricker Public Library, Knox Community School Corporation campus, the SCILL Center, MPI, and the Starke County Justice Center. The tour ended with a ride around Bass Lake.
Evans said there are plenty of opportunities for veterans to obtain a job in Starke County.
Evans commented, “Starke County is a phenomenal community for military members who are used to traveling and moving every couple of years and planting their roots. It’s very family-friendly – a lot of opportunities. The more we work with Lisa [Dan] and other community partners in getting our message out there and the more employers that we can get signed up, the more jobs we can fill with our veterans.”
Veterans develop skill sets such as leadership and management skills during their service that they can take to any employment opportunity and Evans noted Starke County has those positions available for veterans.
More information about the INvets programs can be found on www.invets.org.
