The Veterans' Place invites the public to participate in the opening ceremonies and keynote speaker portion of its "Sleep-Out for Homeless Veterans" encampment and fundraiser, taking place on The Common on the evening of April 19. The Opening Ceremonies begin at 5pm and will feature a color guard with former Veterans' Place resident and baritone Greg Bassette singing the Star Spangled Banner and other patriotic songs.

Following the opening ceremonies, decorated Army combat veteran Morgana Isenberg will speak from her own experience as one of the 40,000 veterans who are homeless in this country on any given night.

An E4 Spc from Bravo Company 3643rd BSB out of Manchester, N.H., Isenberg served in Kuwait and Iraq as Convoy Security during Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Operation New Dawn as Lead Gun truck 50 Cal Gunner and Driver. Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, and Master's Drivers Badge. She is currently a Veteran Outreach Program Specialist with the Vet Center operating out of White River Junction.

Other veterans with lived experience of homelessness will also be invited to speak, including Skyler Koch, a former Infantry Squad Leader, SGT E5, with the United States Army and Executive Officer of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association 26-1, who currently serves in a peer support role at The Veterans' Place. Their talks will be followed by a Q&A session with the public.

Admission is free; however, donations to support homeless veterans will be gratefully accepted.

For more information or to donate, visit vermontveteransplace.org/events.

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