Noah Johnson | Daily Press veterans and their families gather at 10 Pins Alley in Manistique for a day of bowling and joking hosted by the Schoolcraft County Veterans Office.

MANISTIQUE — The Schoolcraft County Veterans Office hosted about 20 veterans and their families for a day of bowling Tuesday. The day was a variation of the office’s monthly coffee hour.

Veterans and their families gathered at 10 Pins Alley in Manistique for a light breakfast and a free game of bowling.

Owners Rick and Linda Cole opened the driveway earlier than for veterans, and they couldn’t be happier to do it.

“I hope to make this an annual thing,” Rick said.

Veteran duty officer Jodi Wilson was extremely grateful to Rick and Linda for allowing the group to bowl for free.

“Rick and Linda from 10 Pins allowed us to come and are covering the costs of putting on this bowling event today for our veterans. He’s (Rick) a veteran as well, so he knows the importance of trying to bring everyone together in the community to, you know, make a difference,” Wilson said.

Wilson added that the group is always looking for ways to engage with each other through coffee hours, guest speakers and, of course, bowling.

“Every month we try to do something special for veterans, bringing them together for a monthly coffee hour, (or) we’ll do different activities. We’re just trying to find an event that would bring them together to enjoy each other’s company,” she said.

The day was veteran-friendly, with some attendees even bringing their own gear.

The office is able to operate and provide functions for veterans through grant funding from the County Veteran Service Fund.

“The grant has helped fund a lot of things over the years. The first year it was kind of a fight; it was new on the scene (and) it was new for us. But now, as long as the governor approves the budget, it means a lot,” said Julie Roscioli, grants administrator.

To learn more about the Schoolcraft County Veterans Affairs Office, visit its Facebook page at Schoolcraft County Veterans Affairs Office or call 906-641-3669.

Wilson and Roscioli encourage local veterans and their families to contact the office if they are interested in attending the group’s monthly meeting, saying they are there for support.

“It’s very important to continue to pass that on to our veterans, and again, what we’re trying to do is just grow this group and really get people in the community involved and allow veterans to share a safe space with each other. and enjoy it,” Wilson said.