Clay County Veterans Service Office Contact: JoDee Peterson             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel: 218-299-5041 Email: jodee.peterson@co.clay.mn.us Clay County Veterans Service Office Launching New Facility with Open House As the Needs and Numbers of our Veterans Increase, the Veterans Service Office Responds by becoming bigger and better. On Friday, June 5th, 2009 the Clay County Veterans Service Office (CVSO) will celebrate their new location with an Open House, which will be attended by local veterans and members of veteran’s service agencies, as well as the Minnesota Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, Clark Dyrud, and Clay County Commissioner Grant Weyland. The Open House schedule is as follows: 1:00pm—3:00pm:       Tour and Reception 3:15—3:30:                 Recognitions-Tom Figliuzzi, Veterans Service Officer 3:30—3:45:                 Grant Weyland, Clay County Commissioner 3:45—4:00:                 Keynote Speaker- Clark Dyrud, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs The CVSO’s move to the new location in the Family Service Center building and their new model of a Veterans Service Office is a big example of how Clay County values our veterans and is doing all we can to better serve the veterans of Clay County. The CVSO was previously located in the Courthouse, and shared space with Human Resources as well as Planning and Zoning. Privacy concerns were becoming an issue as the veteran clientele grew and the Veterans Service Office mission was expanding. The Veterans Service Officer, Tom Figliuzzi, worried about the dignity of that arrangement, as well as the struggles for the disabled or senior veterans. The new facility is located on the main floor of the Family Service Center building, which allows much easier access. It is a contained space, with a waiting room and an “Ultimate Honors Room.” The Ultimate Honors Room displays all of the honors that a veteran is entitled to and provides a dignified space for the CVSO staff to meet with family members of veterans. The room will also be utilized by Military Outreach. The Ultimate Honors Room is noteworthy in that it is the only Honors Room provided for veterans in Minnesota at the County level. In addition to providing a look at the CVSO’s new facility, the Open House will be an opportunity for the community and veterans service organizations to come together in honor of our veterans. Since the Commissioner from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is based in St Paul, his coming to Clay County is a special event that the area veterans are greatly looking forward to. As the overseer of the state’s veteran’s agencies, he is an invaluable resource and will be a highlight of the Open House. We would like to invite the media to join us for this historic event. If you would like more information regarding this event, please contact the Clay County Veteran’s Service Office at 218-299-5041