A LARGE GROUP of local dignitaries was on hand for the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the new Shiawassee County Veteran Affairs building on Thursday, Aug. 24. Shown during the ribbon-cutting is (from left) Commissioner Brad Howard, County Administrator Dr. Brian Boggs, Commissioner Marlene Webster, 71st District Rep. Brian BeGole, Commissioners Cindy Garber, Greg Brodeur and Gary Holzhausen, Shiawassee County Veteran Affairs Director Michael Reeve, Commissioner Thomas Emery, and Veteran Affairs Committee members, Chuck Hegg, Dan Smith and David Mogg.
(Independent Photo/Graham Sturgeon)
The grand opening of the new Shiawassee County Veteran Affairs building was celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 24 with a ribbon-cutting. County officials and interested community members gathered for the celebration, which included remarks from Shiawassee County Veteran Affairs Director Michael Reeve, Board of Commissioners Chairperson Greg Brodeur and Commissioner Gary Holzhausen, as well as a tour of the building and flyovers by the Scream’n Rebels Vintage Warbirds.
The new office, located at 1042 N. Shiawassee St. in Corunna, was formerly known as the Griffin Building and at one time served as the county’s parole/probation facility. The veteran affairs office was previously housed in the Surbeck Building in downtown Corunna. The Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners approved the renovation of the Griffin Home into a veteran center in 2021.
Director Reeve thanked the many “distinguished guests” for attending the grand opening and called them “an extension of our veteran family.” He then went on to share a bit about how the new veteran center came to be.
“This project has been a process for over four years,” explained Reeve. “It started as a vision to have an all-inclusive veteran center in place where veterans, their dependants and spouses can come to either file a claim, receive mental health services or share stories of their time in service. This building represents those who served in the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and, now, Space Force.
“I’m proud of what has been created and what the future holds,” continued Reeve. “In keeping the memory alive of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, or those whom are no longer with us, it is with great pride and honor that this building will be known as the Sergeant Clay W. Reeves Veteran Center.”
