On November 5, DogTag Support System, or DogTagSS, will be raising money for their continued support of veterans with their fifth annual Vet Fest at the Thomasville Exchange Club Fairgrounds, 

DogTagSS, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, was founded in 2014 and since then has put forward their time and effort into improving the lives of local veterans, in both small and big ways. 

Today, with a small team of seven volunteers, they continue to do so.

“Our office is in Cairo, but we serve all of southwest Georgia, from Bainbridge to Quitman, Camilla to Tallahassee and Monticello,” Pat Christopher, executive director of DogTagSS, said. “We assist veterans, especially the homeless veterans and the hungry veterans. Just about anything a veteran might need, we try to help them with, we believe preemptive care, in which, say, we got a veteran and he’s behind on a bill, like an utility bill or rent, we try to help them with that. It all depends on our funding though.”

This year, Christopher said that their goal is to raise $12,000 from Vet Fest to continue their work in improving the lives of veterans for the next year. 

“We’re hoping to achieve raising enough money to keep our operations going for the year,” he said. 

“If we can raise about $12,000, that $12,000 would keep our operating expense going for a year, our rent and our utilities. Things like that.”

Christopher said that the festival would be home to plenty of food and music for attendees to enjoy. 

“It’s an outdoor event, we’ve got five bands lined up that have volunteered their time. They’ll start playing at 1 p.m. and the last one we’ll be over by 6 p.m.” he said. “We got vendors, various vendors, homemade goods, you name it. Great food vendors, various vendors of all sorts. We also have some agencies that’ll be out there in assistance too, like Georgia Pines.”

Of the five bands that Vet Fest is welcoming, Christopher said that they had Joe Clark Band, Southern Latitude, Morgan and Collins Band, Willis and Westbrook and Far 2 Fresh. Additionally, their annual jeep show would be open to the public and they were putting a cornhole tournament this year. 

Christopher’s goal to have at least 60 vendors signed up by the end of registration for the event and is still looking for sponsors to support the festival. 

“Last year we had 43 signed up, but 38 showed up. Our goal is to get 60 this year,” Christopher said. “Registration for that will be opened up all the way until the day of and we are looking for sponsors, and we got a little over a week left for sponsors.”

Christopher invited to the community to come and enjoy the food and fun that Vet Fest had to offer, while getting one of the best chances in southwest Georgia to say thank you to local veterans. 

“We encourage the community to come out and, this is the biggest celebrating thank you for our veterans in southwest Georgia,” Christopher said. “Come out and join us to celebrate and thank our veterans in person.” Gates open at 12 p.m. and there is a $10 entry fee. Veterans and children 14 years old and younger get in free. Sponsors and vendors interested in getting involved with Vet Fest can contact Christopher Pat at 229-221-5391.