More than 60 people attended an open house of the Veterans Hub of Northeastern Pennsylvania at the St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus (formerly Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital) Wednesday afternoon.

The Veterans Hub offers mental health support services for veterans.

It also provides a location each week where veterans can meet with Christine LeClair, Carbon County’s Director of Veterans Affairs.

Present were officials of St. Luke’s University Health Network, LeClair, several political leaders and representatives of St. Luke’s Penn Foundation’s Victory for Veterans, a free community-based support program for veterans.

A representative of the office of Congresswoman Susan Wild presented a flag that was flown over the Capitol to be flown at the facility. She also presented certificates of congressional recognition.

Kristin Pogwist of Victory for Veterans said this organization was formed by LeClair a year ago. She said it provides support and case management for veterans and their families.

She said since the Veterans Hub opened, “about 4,000 veterans came through the door in the past year.”

Jerry Schilling, a certified peer specialist, said, “As a veteran it’s a wonderful program. There needs to be more programs like it.”

Schilling is a veteran of the Gulf War, Iraq War and Afghanistan.

Tours of the facility were given and refreshments were served.