LAURINBURG — Scotland County’s Veterans Stand Down, an event geared toward bringing community resources to area veterans, made its return to the National Guard Amory in Laurinburg on Friday after a yearslong hiatus.

The return was needed. Serving as a resource fair, the event targets local veterans who are experiencing homelessness or who are deemed at-risk, according to Jamie McGee, Scotland County’s Veterans Service officer.

“It’s a resource fair for veterans to get all the resources that they can benefit from in one place,” McGee said. “A lot of veterans don’t know everything that’s out there.”

With Scotland High School’s Honor Guard kicking off the event, this year’s Stand Down featured dozens of vendors, free lunches, health screenings, and for the first time, a barber team from One Stop Academy offering fresh cuts to the retired military.

“They’re all the way from Cumberland County and they showed up with 27 students giving free haircuts to our veterans so that was a big success,” McGee said. “Not only are they helping the veterans but the students are getting the contact hours that they needed.”

The Department of Veterans Service was also on hand to place immediate claims for veterans.

“Some people have been able to put in appeals right here on the spot,” McGee said.

Tridell Winder, of the Veterans Benefits Administration, said that midway through the event they had already assisted at least 50 veterans by checking statuses and helping them file claims.

“We can actually get some decisions possibly today,” Winder said.

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs homelessness team was also on hand to assist in placing veterans, McGee said.

McGee, who is also a U.S. Navy veteran, said a lot was at stake in the planning of this year’s event for the first time.

“It was a little nerve-racking but mainly because I wanted to get it right. Because we live in such a rural area, they’re not able to get access to a lot of people [who] are here …. I wanted it to work out because it meant a lot to me to make sure they got what they needed,” McGee said.

Word of mouth is what led U.S. Army war veterans Larry Everette and Douglas Lodge to Stand Down. Both said they were walking away from the event with more knowledge than when they came in.

“It was very helpful,” Lodge said. “This is the first one I’ve been to. You can never get enough information, especially positive information. As a veteran, we need updates all the time.”

“I enjoyed it. It’s a really good event,” Everette added.

Veteran and Scotland County Commissioner Ed O’Neal took advantage of the Stand Down that he described as “a great opportunity for veterans to come in and learn about the services that are available.

“I’m just glad to be here today, glad to see the turnout. (The) parking lot is full,” O’Neal said.

The commissioner took part in the health screening.

“I just got my cholesterol checked,” O’Neal said.

Veterans who were unable to make it to the Stand Down are encouraged to contact McGee at JMcGee@scotlandcounty.org or in person at the Scotland County Veterans Service Office.

“My job is to be a liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs and [veterans] can stop by and see me and I’ll be happy to help,” McGee said.