Craighead County Vetearns office staff will host an open house with refreshments from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4. The event will be held at the Craighead County Courthouse Election Annex, 314 Jefferson Avenue, Jonesboro, and is open to area veterans.
Vermalene A. Smith, CVSO, Craighead County, said she is pleased to report the Northeast Arkansas Affiliate of the Wounded Warrior Project, Winter 2013-Duck Hunt and Banquet event, announced their major fundraiser project will be the purchase of Action Track Chairs, known as "off road wheelchairs" for local Veteran Service Centers in Northeast Arkansas. The remarkable machines will be available for public viewing at many of the veteran service offices through Dec. 4-6.
Event coordinators have arranged with chair manufacturers from Texas to have an Action Track Chair at the following Veteran Service Centers the first week in December.
Dec. 4 -- 10:45 a.m. KAIT TV Studio, Jonesboro (noon show with Diana Davis); 1:30 p.m. Vetearns Service Center, Jonesboro.
Dec. 5 -- 9 a.m.-noon -- Lawrence County, Walnut Ridge; 1-3 p.m. Clay County, Piggott, Ark.
Dec. 6 -- 9 a.m.-noon -- Greene County Veterans Service Center -- Paragould; 1-3 p.m. Randolph County -- Pocahontas.
Dec. 7 1-3 p.m. WWP Event Headquarters, Pocahontas; 5-9 p.m. WWP Banquet, BRTC, Pocahontas.
All proceeds from the fundraising activity (silent and live auction) at the Saturday night banquet will stay in Northeast Arkansas and be applied toward these purchases.
The banquet event will be held Dec. 7, on the anniversary date of the Pearl Harbor bombing. The theme will be a tribute to Pearl Harbor -- 1941, with a moving program and keynote speakers.
The event is open to the general public and tickets are $15 each, available at many participating local banks.
"Help support our veterans and give back to those who sacrificed so much for our liberty," Smith said. "These chairs will allow our wounded veterans to be able to go where regular motorized wheelchairs cannot."
The Action Track Chairs are made with caterpillar tracks and are able to go into the woods, the beaches, mud and snow.
For more information on the project or upcoming events, contact Smith at Craighead County (870) 933-4998; (870) 892-3143 in Randolph County; or Mike Freligh in Mississippi County at (870) 278-9295.