Dozens of local veterans learned more about the services available to them during a resource fair Thursday.

Erie Institute of Technology hosted the event put on by the Erie V.A. Medical Center, welcoming vets from the Erie area.

Attendees not only learned about benefits they are entitled to, they also received free gifts and even free haircuts from SportsClips.

Organizers said too often veterans suffer in silence, not knowing just how much help is available.

"They're important because they can honestly save lives between our mental health resources and our physical health resources," said Katelyn Duberg, Erie V.A. Medical Center. "We've got nutrition here. We have all these different benefits and things that people just aren't aware of that could make such a different impact on their life, quality of life, and etc."

If you're a veteran but missed Thursday's event and want to learn more, simply contact the Erie V.A. Medical Center. Staff there are trained to help veterans get the benefits to which they're entitled.