Invest in the Fest, the Vetfest
Vetfest began as a way to support and honor our veterans and first responders and give back to the men and women who are currently serving, have bravely served and to support the families of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. An idea that meant the City of La Porte would become home to a new community veterans organization, the founder created the Vetfest to bring the citizens of La Porte, Tx. and the surrounding communities together, offer a network of qualified providers for the community veterans and first responders, and to provide opportunities for assistance with issues they are facing daily. With a little hard work and dedication, we are confident the Vetfest will grow and expand to cover the entire state of Texas, and eventually, the whole United States with Vetfest locations in most of the larger metropolitan areas.
For the veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are little to no opportunities for them to meet other veterans and share their lives with one another. Vetfest was organized as a way of bringing awareness to these and veterans from all eras of military and/or first responder service. Being a veteran or a first responder means being an individual that possesses qualities such as independence, compassion, and integrity. They are individuals who strive to preserve his or her honor and self-respect all the while offering the same to others.
Just as the founders of Vetfest wanted the community to understand the role of the veteran, they wanted to illustrate that being a "vet" was more than "carrying a gun into combat", or as a first responder, putting their lives on the line every day they walk out the door to go to work. And, with the inclusion of women serving more strategic roles in our military and as first responders, they to embrace the idea of what it means to be a "veteran." We understand and support the value of women by including them in the Vetfest organization. They provided a means by which the young ladies could illustrate that a woman who has served can maintain her femininity and beauty, while she demonstrates independence, sincerity, compassion and self-respect. They also wanted the community to understand that women are just as capable of serving and protecting our communities and our country as their male counterparts.
We at Vetfest know that being a veteran or a first responder, whether man or woman means "following through on one's commitments, setting goals, and achieving those goals both personally and professionally". They want to pass this knowledge on to the area youth. Our goal is to ensure that our communities continue to remain committed and always support our veterans and first responders.
Vetfest is open to everyone, veteran or non-veteran, so that we can promote awareness to the local and surrounding communities. The organization is run, managed and operated by veterans both from the military and first responder communities. We have veteran owned businesses that set up at the Vetfest event where they can sell their products, inter-act with the community and promote their talents and skills. It is a day full of meeting great people, restoring lost camaraderie, participating in fun and exciting events, eating some wonderful food, and listening to some fantastic musical entertainment. Our vets look forward to sharing some of their life stories, their experiences and successes with you. We welcome all who are interested in becoming a part of the Vetfest by becoming a volunteer. It is only because of the people and businesses of our communities that we are successful in providing these opportunities to our veterans of the military and first responder communities.
Our Vision
Vetfest believes that we are a team, one organization with one vision.
We are a group of veterans from the military and first responder communities with a common goal, to work as one unit to achieve success through our veterans and first responders. Our vision is to recognize and support America’s veterans, police, firefighters, and EMT’s through the Vetfest organization and our outreach and provider programs. We strive at providing the best opportunities to end veteran and first responder homelessness, mental health and other medical or financial issues, and when possible, provide equipment and training to our first responders.
Our long-range vision is one that takes the Vetfest organization nationally and holding the Vetfest event in major metropolitan areas throughout the country. We hope to one day have the Vetfest become a household name that people feel compelled to support.
Our volunteers are driven to meet or exceed these expectations. They are focused on making sure the Vetfest is a success and motivated to improve the quality of life for our veterans and first responders in need.
Veteran Support Network is in the process of registering as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organizations. Donations made will be tax deductible and we will forward the necessary paperwork to everyone that gives so you can it on your income taxes.
