Backus Community Center

A new drop-in center for veterans is being planned in Koochiching County.

The County’s Veterans Services intends to operate it out of the Backus Community Center.

Veteran Services Officer Mark Lessard says it will offer a place to meet other vets or access information.

“This is designed to provide veterans with an opportunity to feel connected to their communities and to basically access other services if they would like. None of the services would be provided on-site. However, the information and the ways to connect would be available,” says Lessard.

Lessard says the funding will come out of a Vet Suicide Prevention project grant.

“We would have a place in town, centrally located and not part of a VFW club system. It would be available for veterans to go to and meet other veterans, access information, probably have a Wi-Fi hotspot. It goes to suicide prevention in the fact or in the realm of community connectedness, veteran connectedness and help-seeking.”

Lessard says a lease deal with the Community Center is helping to make it affordable.