Veterans Northeast Outreach Center to Rededicate Intake Center to Late Leader Forbes

Merrimack Valley Newsmakers

Veterans Northeast Outreach Center is Haverhill is ready to return to its home base, recently damaged by a burst water pipe, and will honor its fallen, former leader during a rededication early next month.

The Scott Forbes Memorial Intake Center is to be dedicated at the 10 Reed St., Haverhill, building. Veterans Northeast Outreach Center Outreach Coordinator Jim Behen discussed the reopening during an appearance Tuesday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.

“Our event that’s going on, on August 4, that’s a Friday, at 10:30 a.m. will be the reopening of the center, and then also we will be dedicating our intake center office in memory of the late Scott Forbes, who was our past executive director who, unfortunately, took his life in March. One of Scott’s big things was you couldn’t help a veteran until you got him in the door. The first place you go when you come in the door is the intake center,” he said.

Appearing with Behen was interim Executive Director William Kelly. He described damage from the burst water pipes this past February.

“We had significant water damage on two floors of the building. Through some connections with some great contractors, we basically have the whole thing refurbished. We got a new floor, new walls, new paint. It looks like a brand-new building on the inside. It’s just wonderful and will serve us into the future for a long, long time,” he said.

From the day of the water disaster until now, Kelly said, Veterans Northeast Outreach Center received a tremendous amount of assistance from the AmVets.

“I want to give a shout out to the AmVets Post 147 on Primrose Street, right here in Haverhill. They opened their doors to us to relocate to operate there. We maintained our food pantry every week. We continued to engage with outreach for Veterans and all of our services. But we couldn’t have done it without them,” he explained.

Behen is asking people planning to attend the rededication to reserve a seat by emailing [e-mail].

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