PLEASANT VALLEY – Hundreds of veterans joined Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro for a picnic Saturday. The event at Dutchess County’s newest Park, Camp Nooteeming, was organized by the Dutchess County Office of Veterans Services.
Molinaro said “Every opportunity we can express our appreciation to those men and women who served, we ought to. Every chance we can connect them to the services they have earned, we need to, and every moment that we can give them to interact with one another in enjoying the community they helped preserve is important.”
Dutchess County Veterans Services Director Adam Roche said the event was made possible with the assistance of the Boy Scouts who helped at the event and Tavern 23 of Poughkeepsie that cooked the food. “The community really steps up to support our Dutchess County veterans,” Roche said, adding “Todd and his staff at Tavern 23 put together an incredible meal for the attendees and everyone has been saying great things about it. Events like this give our valued veterans a chance to be among their peers and talk about things that only other veterans have experienced, and that is exceptionally important.”
Molinaro credited the Office of Veterans Services and MHA Dutchess with bringing more than 400 veterans to the free event.