Veterans Cookout Honors Service Members in Columbus
The fourth annual Pop Barnes Veterans Day Cookout connected retired service members with local organizations offering veterans resources.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Military
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Tri-City Veterans held its 4th annual Pop Barnes Veterans Day Cookout at Cascade Hills Park on Friday. Retired service members attended and were honored, and several organizations set up as vendors to offer services to veterans.
Why it matters
The event links veterans with providers of resources, and one in 10 Columbus residents are veterans. Connecting them with services ranging from mental health care to at-home care addresses a population that makes up a significant share of the community.
One in 10 Columbus residents are veterans, according to figures cited in the event coverage. The extraction does not report how many veterans attended or which organizations participated.
The players
Pop Barnes
Pop Barnes served 20 years on the Columbus City Council, and the cookout is named in his honor.
Simi Barnes
Simi Barnes is the Columbus District 1 councilwoman.
The details
Retired service members attended the cookout at Cascade Hills Park, where several organizations set up as vendors offering services such as mental health care and at-home care. The event is designed to connect groups that provide resources with the veterans who need them.
Timeline
Friday: 4th annual Pop Barnes Veterans Day Cookout held at Cascade Hills Park
Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day
Military Context
The cookout is held ahead of Veterans Day, the November 11 federal holiday honoring service members. It follows a model in which local civic leaders organize events to connect veterans with community resources.
Columbus veterans can access mental health and at-home care services offered by organizations at the event. The cookout gives residents a single location to learn about available resources ahead of Veterans Day.
The takeaway
Veterans in Columbus have access to a range of local services, from mental health support to at-home care. Residents who want to connect with these resources can look for similar community events held around Veterans Day.
Further reading
Explore more military news from Columbus on the veterans resources available in the area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wtvm.
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