All are invited to a Vets Town Hall at the Vermont Law School's Chase Community Center in South Royalton, Vermont. Veterans are invited to speak about what their service means to them. Non-veterans are encouraged to attend and listen. This event is non-political, and all perspectives are valued. There will be no debate on American foreign policy.
Dinner will be served at 5:30pm. The Vets Town Hall itself will begin at 6pm.
**RSVPs (required for the dinner, optional for the Vets Town Hall) are now closed for this event. Whether or not you've RSVPed, we hope to see you there for the Vets Town Hall portion of the evening! Don't hesitate to come early: There may be extra dinners available, and either way, your company will be appreciated!**
RSVPs are required for the dinner. For the Vets Town Hall itself, RSVPs are optional, but encouraged.
For all attendees: All community members are invited to this event. Only veterans will speak, but non-veterans are encouraged to attend and listen.
Throughout the event, you may hear something you agree or disagree with. You may have a question. Or you may want to say encouraging words with the intention to help. However, we ask that you please refrain from responding. We are simply here to listen and learn about what it was like to serve in the wars that this nation has chosen to fight.
For speakers: Tell us what your service means to you. Please tell us about your own experiences, whatever they may be, rather than speaking broadly about an issue or organization. You’re a member of our community, and it’s your stories, reflections, and insights that we’re anxious to hear.
Each veteran will be given up to 10 minutes to speak. (This time may vary somewhat depending on how many interested speakers we have.) Veterans who would like to speak can contact [email protected], or you can indicate interest in speaking when registering. If you’re considering speaking but prefer not to register, we encourage you to attend. After pre-registered speakers go, the host will take speakers from the floor, time permitting. The goal is for every veteran who would like to speak to have a chance to do so.
Of course, veterans (and all community members) are also welcome to simply attend and listen.
If you're interested in speaking but aren't sure what to speak about, click here for some questions that can serve as starting points.
Thank you to:
Are children welcome at this event?
— Your children are welcome to attend with you, but when deciding whether or not to bring them, please be aware that speakers will address serious topics and that this is not a rehearsed event.
Are veterans service organizations invited to table at this event?
— There won’t be any tabling at the event, in order to make sure the focus is clearly on the speakers and the experiences being shared. Of course, it’s important to share resources as well, so there will be an un-staffed general info table. Please don’t hesitate to bring brochures for this table.
Are representatives from organizations invited to speak at this event?
— If your organization has representatives who are veterans, they are welcome to speak – but we ask that they speak as individuals, not on behalf of the organization.