Boot Drive will be part of the Ventura County Stand Down event
Representatives with the Oxnard Fire Department gather with Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, interns, and staff Senior Member Nancy Frawley. Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO – As part of the preparations for this year’s Ventura County Stand Down event, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) will be collecting gently used boots from Ventura County’s Public Safety organizations for the homeless veterans attending the Ventura County event. As of now, Oxnard City Fire and Police departments have already delivered 440 pairs of new or gently used boots.
VC Stand Down is a three day event where veterans spend the weekend at the National Guard Armory and receive a range of services including dentistry, haircuts, showers, and clothes. In addition, veterans will be able to apply for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and receive legal counsel in the Veterans’ court that will be set up for the event.
A Oxnard Fire Department truck is filled with boots and shoes as part of the 2016 Boot Drive for Homeless Veterans. Courtesy photo.
“The boot drive is just one part of this incredible project,” said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who also serves as the chair of the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs. “That being said, last year we were able to collect more than one hundred boots with less than 2 weeks’ notice and this year, with the help of our public safety partners, we have been able to easily surpass that number. I am honored to represent a community that believes in treating our vets with respect and compassion.”
Other local agencies contributing to the effort include the Ventura County Sheriff’s office, the Ventura County Fire Department and E.J. Harrison & Sons who provided the collection boxes.
The VC Stand Down event officially begins on Friday, July 29th at the National Guard Armory. For more information, visit the event website at http://www.venturacountystanddown.org/
**Assemblymember Irwin’s website: http://asmdc.org/irwin?