News Flash

Posted on: February 21, 2024

Kenosha County Division of Veterans Services to host open house

Graphic with text "VETERANS SERVICES OPEN HOUSE"

The Kenosha County Division of Veterans Services invites the public to an open house this Friday, Feb. 23.

The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Veterans Services Office, located on the north end of the Kenosha County Job Center building, 8...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: November 11, 2023

American Heroes Café celebrates Veterans Day with special breakfast

Photo of a large group of veterans singing the National Anthem at the Heroes Cafe

Regulars at the American Heroes Café at Festival Foods in Kenosha celebrated Veterans Day a day early on Friday, with a full breakfast and a 248th birthday celebration.

The birthday party — featuring a cake and a singing of “...

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Veterans News
Posted on: October 30, 2023

Veterans Day to be celebrated at events across Kenosha County

Veterans Day 2022 logo

Veterans Day events will be held across Kenosha County on and before the Nov. 11, 2023, holiday.

 A chronological list of celebrations, compiled by the Kenosha County Veterans Service Office:

What: Christian Life School Veterans Day Progra...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: October 31, 2023

Kenosha County Veterans Celebration to be held Saturday, Nov. 4

The annual Kenosha County Veterans Celebration will be held this Saturday, Nov. 4, County Executive Samantha Kerkman announced today.

This free community event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon in the commons area at the Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sher...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: October 20, 2023

Kerkman issues proclamation for local World War II veteran Laba's 100th birthday

Photo of Wally Laba at birthday celebration

Wally Laba had one, simple request as the singing of “Happy Birthday” wound down and the cake was about to be cut: “Stop counting!”

With his sense of humor fully intact, the local World War II veteran celebrated his ...

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Veterans News
Posted on: October 7, 2023

Veterans, families enjoy special climb night at Boundless Adventures

Photo of a man and a boy traversing a high-ropes course

A way to say thank you. 

 An opportunity for camaraderie. 

 A means to build confidence. 

 These were among the themes of the evening on Oct. 6, at the Veterans Climb event at the Boundless Adventures aer...

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Veterans News
Posted on: September 23, 2023

'George Peter Day' declared in honor of World War II veteran's 100th birthday

Photo of George Peter with Mayor Antaramian, Sheriff Zoerner and County Executive Kerkman

George Peter turned 100 on Sept. 22, 2023. But, as he would tell you, “I don’t look a day over 99.”

Peter, a World War II veteran, is American Legion Post 21’s oldest member. And on Friday, as he notched another year...

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Veterans News
Posted on: September 20, 2023

Boundless Adventures to host Veterans Climb event Oct. 6

2023 Veterans Climb graphic

Military veterans and their families will have the opportunity to climb for free Oct. 6 at the Boundless Adventures in Bristol Woods Park, Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman and other event partners announced today.

The Veterans Climb is open to act...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: May 26, 2023

Kenosha County Veterans Honor Portal debuts Veterans History section

Photo of Paris Veterans Memorial

The Kenosha County Veterans Honor Portal now has a new section devoted to telling historical stories about veterans and related topics, County Executive Samantha Kerkman announced today.

Launched in October 2022, the Veterans Honor Portal is an online tool...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: May 19, 2023

Memorial Day programs, ceremonies to be held across Kenosha County

Graphic reading "Memorial Day: Remember and Honor"

Memorial Day will be observed at various events across Kenosha County over the holiday weekend. Here is a list of programs, compiled by the Kenosha County Division of Veterans Services:

What: Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery Memorial Day Cerem...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: May 19, 2023

County to host veterans appreciation picnic on June 2

2023 Veterans Appreciation Picnic graphic

County Executive Samantha Kerkman is inviting local veterans and their families to the inaugural Veterans Appreciation Summer Picnic, to be held at noon Friday, June 2, at the Kenosha County Veterans Memorial Park.

Admission is free, and lunch will be serv...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: April 21, 2023

Kerkman declares "Carlton Stanton Day" in honor of World War II veteran's birthday

Carlton Stanton posing for photo with others

A member of Kenosha County’s waning population of World War II veterans was honored on the eve of his 97th birthday Friday at the American Heroes Café at Festival Foods in Kenosha. 

Carlton Stanton served in the U.S. Navy as a...

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Veterans News
Posted on: March 21, 2023

Kenosha County Veterans Services to hold town hall meeting on March 23

Kenosha County Veterans Services Town Hall Meeting graphic

The Kenosha County Veterans Services Town Hall Meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., this Thursday, March 23, at the Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road.

Kenosha County Veterans Services Director Ali Nelson said the event will be an opportuni...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: February 20, 2023

County issues proclamation for local World War II veteran's 99th birthday

Photo of Thomas Van Dahm and others

County Executive Samantha Kerkman declared Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, as Thomas Van Dahm Day in Kenosha County, in honor of a local World War II veteran who is celebrating his 99th birthday. 

Van Dahm was the guest of honor a few days earlier, at the ...

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Veterans News
Posted on: January 4, 2023

County proclamation issued in honor of local World War II veteran's 100th birthday

Photo of Harold "Jim" Eils with others

A local World War II veteran was the toast of the town Wednesday, at a belated celebration of his 100th birthday. 

Harold “Jim” Eils was the guest of honor at the weekly gathering of the American Heroes Café at Festi...

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Veterans News
Posted on: October 31, 2022

Veterans Day to be celebrated at events across Kenosha County

Veterans Day 2022 logo

Veterans Day events will be held across Kenosha County on and before the Nov. 11, 2022, holiday.

A chronological list of celebrations, compiled by the Kenosha County Veterans Service Office:

What: Christian Life School Veterans Day ProgramWhen: Friday, Nov ...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: October 29, 2022

Kenosha County Veterans Services Director Ali Nelson elected president of statewide association

Portrait of Ali Nelson

Kenosha County Veterans Services Director Ali Nelson was recently elected president of the County Veterans Service Officers Association of Wisconsin.

Nelson was sworn into the office on Oct. 18, during the CVSO fall conference in Wisconsin Rapids. He will ...

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Veterans News
Posted on: October 14, 2022

Kenosha County Veterans Honor Portal a one-stop shop for information, resources

Kenosha County Veterans Honor Portal logo

County Executive Samantha Kerkman recently announced the launch of the Kenosha County Veterans Honor Portal, an online tool that provides easy access to an array of information of interest to veterans and others in the community.

“We set out to c...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: October 10, 2022

American Legion Post 21 honors Kenosha women, ages 103 and 102

Lillian Jilk and Florence Klappa talking with each other

Being 101 years old didn’t stop Lillian Jilk from joining the American Legion two years ago. 

And being 103 didn’t stop her from being present and smiling, when Legion Post 21 honored her for her two years as a continuous membe...

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Veterans News
Posted on: September 20, 2022

Veterans, active-duty military and families invited to climb for free at Boundless Adventures

Military and Veterans Climb logo

* UPDATE: As of Sept. 26, 2022, all available tickets have been distributed. *

Kenosha County Parks, Boundless Adventures, and the Kenosha County Division of Veterans Services are partnering to offer 150 free tickets to the aerial adventure park to qualifi...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: August 28, 2022

Commemorative benches dedicated at Kenosha County Veterans Memorial Park

County Executive Kerkman and Korean War Veterans posing on commemorative bench

Regulars at the American Heroes Café at Festival Foods in Kenosha wanted to pay tribute to their group’s founders, and they went above and beyond in their fundraising quest.

Meantime, another area veterans’ organization was l...

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Veterans News
Posted on: July 19, 2022

Kenosha County Veterans Services to hold regular office hours in Twin Lakes

FB LINK-vets twin lakes hours

The Kenosha County Veterans Service Office will hold regular office hours in Twin Lakes the third Tuesday of each month beginning July 19, Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman announced today.

Office hours on these days will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p...

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View News Release Veterans News
Posted on: July 16, 2022

Local World War II veteran marks 102nd birthday

Emerald Knudson being presented with a flag at his birthday party

“The luckiest guy in the world.”

Paraphrasing the baseball great Lou Gehrig, that’s how Emerald “Dixie” Knudson describes himself on the eve of turning 102.

A World War II veteran, Knudson was the guest of h...

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Veterans News
Posted on: May 23, 2022

Memorial Day programs, ceremonies to be held across Kenosha County

American flags

Memorial Day will be observed at various events across Kenosha County over the upcoming holiday weekend. Here is a list of programs, compiled by the Kenosha County Division of Veterans Services:

What: Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery Memorial ...

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View News Release Veterans News