Veterans in Riverhead can now get discounts at about a dozen local businesses thanks to the efforts of the Riverhead Town veterans advisory committee.
The card will entitle veterans to discounts of up to 50 percent on a variety of services and products, including eye and dental services, haircuts, shoes, massages and major car repairs.
“Veterans have no dental insurance,” explained Liz Stokes, co-chairperson of the committee and the driving force behind the program. “The VA doesn’t cover it. The VA also doesn’t cover eyeglasses.”
So this year, Stokes set out to make those services more available to the local veterans at an affordable price.
Local businesses, she said, immediately jumped on board with the idea.
“I contacted a local dentist, and when I explained to him what we were doing, he said, ‘I will give any veteran 50 percent off any service we provide,’” Stokes said. “It’s incredible the level of support we’ve gotten.”
Eleven local businesses are currently participating in the program. There are even more willing to participate, Stokes said, but they have to wait on permission from corporate headquarters before they can give a definitive answer. “I’ve been all over Riverhead asking around,” she said. “It’s our hope that many other merchants will get on board with this.”
Although Suffolk County has its own veterans benefits card, only two of the locations are in Riverhead. Riverhead is the first town on Long Island to have its own benefits card for veterans, Stokes said.
The card’s design was created by Riverhead Town Board coordinator and former U.S. Marine sergeant Carissa Willis. The cards were mass-printed at a shop owned by a Marines veteran, paid for by an anonymous donor in memory of soldiers missing in action.
Discounts are currently available at the following merchants: (Updated August 28, 2015)
- Advance Auto Parts, 1071 Old Country Road: 10% off anything
- The All-Star, 96 Main Road: Free shoes, free games
- Apple Honda, 1375 Old Country Road: 10% off any service or repair and complimentary car wash
- Cohens Fashion Optical, 755 Old Country Road: 30% off
- Comfort Dental at Riverhead, 749 Old Country Road: 50% off
- Compu-Fix, 122 Nadel Drive: 50% labor prices
- Firestone, 815 Old Country Road: 10% off
- Great Rock Golf Club, 141 Fairway Drive: $10.00 off any tee time, excluding Twilight rate
- Kix and Stylz, 48 W. Main Street: 10% off select items
- Pearle Vision, 1053 Old Country Road: Up to 30% off frames and lenses (non-designer or branded product)
- Pet Connection, 6275 Route 25A: 10% off, excluding dog and cat food
- Riverhead Auto Center, 520 W. Main Street: 10-20% off depending on repair, excludes oil change
- Robert James Salon, 49 E. Main Street: 30% off services
- Sandy Pond Golf Course, 1495 Roanoke Avenue: 20% off (equivalent to $10.00)
- Secure Store US, EPCAL: 10% off
- Uncle Joe’s Pizzeria Café, 12 W. Main Street: 10% off
- Wine Mart Wines and Liquor, 757 Old Country Road: 10% off 750 mL or larger wine and liquor, not to be combined with any specials, coupons, or sales
- The Working Shoe, 678 Old Country Road: $20.00 off any regular priced item
The card is available now for veterans at the Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall at 200 Howell Avenue and at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court Street (entrance on Osborn Avenue.) Veterans must provide their discharge papers or their VA-issued veterans card with proof of address.
Riverhead’s Veteran Advisory Committee provides a variety of services to local veterans, including transportation to the veterans’ hospital in Northport and assistance with enrollment at Suffolk County Community College.
Last year, the committee helped a local Marine who is marrying a man fighting pancreatic cancer purchase a wedding dress. They also helped her get her hair cut and styled for her wedding day.
Over the holidays, the committee was contacted by a local food bank about a Vietnam veteran who visits every week. The veteran, who had custody of his three grandchildren, was worried that he wouldn’t be able to provide them with presents for the holiday.
The committee filled up an entire car with presents for them.
“This has definitely been a labor of love for our local veterans,” said Stokes.
Stokes will make a presentation about the veterans card at the town board meeting today.
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