On Saturday, July 12, Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry, Summit County Veterans Service Commission (VSC) Executive Director George Baker and VSC Commissioners: A.W. “Sonny” Cool, Bruce Hestley, Richard Rauch, John “Jack” Ryan and Michael Stitch hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new, $2.2 million Summit County Veterans Service Commission Center. The event took place on the land that will serve as the new building site, a 2-acre stretch of property along East Waterloo Road in Akron. 

The Commission is presently operating out of an old, converted residential home located on Park Avenue in Akron. 

 “The current facility is not fully handicap accessible and lacks efficient office space and parking,” said Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry. “To put it quite frankly, the home is not an appropriate place to serve the men and women who have given so much for our country.”

The new, 16,000 square foot, fully handicap accessible Summit County Veterans Service Commission Center is projected to open in the fall of 2009.  Building specifications include: 25 offices, a multipurpose room, a Veterans Learning Center and a 90 space parking lot.    

The new facility will allow the VSC to better serve the local veteran community with services, such as: benefit coordination, counseling, education, employment opportunities, financial assistance, health care, transportation and much more. 

The multipurpose room will serve the community as an additional meeting space for volunteer military support organizations, such as: the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Veterans, the Disabled American Veterans and many more. 

The Veterans Learning Center will be equipped with computers and state-of-the-art equipment to provide veterans with an opportunity to: participate in educational enrichment opportunities, perform job searches, apply on-line for benefits and assistance, etc. 

In addition to the major capital improvement project, the Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry’s Office also served as a key sponsor for numerous fundraisers and initiatives in support of volunteer military organizations, such as: the United Service Organization (USO), the Summit County Stand Down for Homeless and Disabled Veterans and the Summit County Serving Our Soldiers (SOS) program. 

“As you can see, my administration is committed to honoring and supporting the service men and women of Summit County,” added Pry. “I hope this new facility inspires patriotism in the community and brings the 52,000 veterans in Summit County a sense of comfort, support and continued camaraderie.”

For more information on the Summit County Veterans Service Commission call 330-643-2830, or click on http://www.summitohvets.us/.