Discover how local student veteran leaders and area non-profits are making northern Nevada a better place at the first-ever Independent Heritage Festival, 1-5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25. An effort to promote creativity, service and leadership in community engagement, the event is the brainchild of local University of Nevada, Reno student veterans who wanted to create an event showcasing valued nonprofits in the community.

"Military veterans play a significant role in northwest Nevada," Ryan Gerchman, student veteran and event organizer, said. "Their service provides them with values and strengths that aren't only valuable for the community, but vital as they transition to civilian life as well. The Independent Heritage Festival was established to bridge the gap between the community and the veteran, and promote a 'service mentality' that benefits everyone. It fosters engagement among veterans and civilian counterparts and aims to help resolve community issues together."

To engage the northern Nevada community, event organizers chose three local nonprofits that are positively affecting the community and serving area residents. Friends in Service Helping; Women & Children's Center of the Sierra and Sierra Nevada Journeys were selected to compete for votes as part of the IHF event. Videos about each nonprofit will be shown at the event and at the end, the nonprofit with the most votes will receive a donation from the organizers of Independent Heritage Festival.

"As veterans, we receive a tremendous amount of support from the northern Nevada community," Gerchman, said. "The Independent Heritage Festival provides a way for us to give back to the community and recognize some of the excellent works others are doing as well."

Student veteran groups involved in planning the event include Wolf Pack Veterans, Truckee Meadows Veterans Club and Western Nevada College Student Veterans Club.

The event will also feature three speakers who will discuss the importance of teamwork between veterans and civilian counterparts, and explain why it's necessary to bridge this gap. Speakers include Pinckney Benedict, American short-story writer and novelist; Caleb Cage, director of military and veterans' policy in the Office of Governor Brian Sandoval and Cyndy Ortiz Gustafson, founder and CEO of Strategic Progress.

The Independent Heritage Festival is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Green Zone Network, a social media initiative focused on three primary areas - education, workforce development, entrepreneurship and wellness. For more information, contact Ryan Gerchman at 775-337-5612 or 570-955-7975 or visit http://ihfnv.weebly.com/.