About this Event
The community is cordially invited to come together in honor veterans, celebration, fellowship, and empowerment at the FALL 2026 West Michigan Veterans & Family Resource and Empowerment Gathering!
Join us as we honor the men and women of the United States military who have served—and continue to serve—not only our Nation, but also their families, friends, and communities.
This gathering is an opportunity to celebrate veterans, strengthen connections, share resources, uplift one another, and build a stronger, more united in the West Michigan community.
📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
🕓 4:00–7:00 PM
📍 Hero’s and Shero’s Corner
4809 Eastern Ave., Kentwood, MI
FREE COMMUNITY EVENT — ALL AGES WELCOME!
Come experience an afternoon and evening filled with community, connection, encouragement, resources, laughter, music, food, and positive energy!
Enjoy:
🎁 Door Prizes
🎟️ 50/50 Raffle
🎶 Great Music & Positive Vibes
🤝 Military Camaraderie & Fellowship
🌐 Community Networking
🛍️ Local Vendors & Resources
🎤 Veteran & Community Speakers
🌱 Youth Engagement & Dirt Therapy
❤️ Family-Friendly Activities and
Connection
🍽️ FREE ORGANIC COMFORT FOOD DINNER
Guests will be treated to a delicious Organic Comfort Food Dinner prepared and served by MIWVE youth, featuring produce and inspiration from our Dirt Therapy Garden.
This meal represents more than food—it represents community, purpose, youth empowerment, nourishment, and the beauty of growing something together.
🎤 INSPIRING SPEAKERS & COMMUNITY VOICES
Come hear from dynamic and resourceful voices who are committed to strengthening our veteran and community networks, including:
Kwesi Betserai, MBA - Keynote Speaker
Peter Kalogiros, Senator Elissa Slotkin’s West Michigan Regional Manager
Sebriena P., Motivational Speaker
Lauren Sowell, gifted and award-winning spoken-word artist
Their stories, experiences, knowledge, and perspectives will help create meaningful conversations about empowerment, opportunity, community connection, and the resources available to veterans and their families.
💃 8:00 PM — SOUTHERN SOUL LINE DANCING EXPERIENCE
The celebration continues at 8:00 PM with an exciting evening of Southern Soul Line Dancing Entertainment, Culture, and Vibes!
Featuring the viral line-dance creator:
Mrs. Anietra Hensley
A.K.A. MrzLoveMeForReal
Come ready to move, laugh, connect, and enjoy an unforgettable evening of music and southern soul line-dancing fun!
$10 donation at the door for the 8:00 PM entertainment.
❤️ A SAFE SPACE FOR VETERANS & FAMILIES -All ages are welcome!
This is a safe, supportive, sober, and family-friendly gathering created for veterans, their families, friends, supporters, and members of the broader community.
Hero’s and Shero’s Corner in Grand Rapids/Kentwood provides a welcoming space where members of the veteran community and those who support them can come together, build relationships, exchange resources, and simply enjoy being surrounded by people who care.
🤝 TOGETHER, WE ARE STRONGER
The purpose of our FALL 2026 Gathering is to create meaningful opportunities for connection, empowerment, resource-sharing, networking, and community building throughout West Michigan.
This event is a joint collaborative effort between Homes for Heroes Michigan, Michigan Women Veterans Empowerment (MIWVE), and Hero’s and Shero’s Corner.
By bringing together our resources, talents, relationships, experiences, and skills, we are intentionally creating opportunities for greater impact.
When we join forces, we create possibilities. When we share resources, we strengthen families. When we build relationships, we strengthen communities. And when we stand together, we can ensure that no veteran or family feels alone.
Our vision is to help build a vibrant, connected, stable, and empowered West Michigan community where U.S. veterans, their families, friends, supporters, youth, and community members have opportunities to connect, thrive, and grow together.
So come out and bring your family, bring a friend, bring your positive energy, and bring your heart for community!
Let's honor those who served.
Let's celebrate those who continue to serve.
Let's uplift one another.
Let's connect.
Let's share.
Let's grow.
And let's build a stronger West Michigan veteran's focused community together!
HONOR. CONNECT. EMPOWER. CELEBRATE.
We look forward to seeing you at the FALL 2026 West Michigan Veterans & Family Resource and Empowerment Gathering!
Agenda
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:45 PM
VENDOR CHECK IN & SET UP
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
🕑: 04:00 PM - 06:30 PM
FORMAL PROGRAMMING
🕑: 06:45 PM - 07:45 PM
FREE MEAL PROVIDED FROM MIWVE DIRT THERAPY GARDEN
🕑: 08:00 PM - 11:30 PM
SOUTHERN SOUL LINE DANCING EXPERIENCE WITH MRZ. LOVEMEFORREAL - LEADING
Info: Get ready to experience the energy, rhythm, and culture of Southern Soul Line Dancing, led by the gifted,Mrs Aneitra Hensly A.K.A. Mrz.LoveMeForReal!
Come dance, laugh, connect, and enjoy an evening filled with great music, positive vibes, and unforgettable entertainment.
$10 donation at the door.
All ages are welcome! Bring your family, bring your friends, and come ready to have a good time!
Event venue & nearby stays
Hero's Corner Grand Rapids, 4809 Eastern Avenue Southeast, Kentwood, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.