For the second year in a row, Wills for Heroes proved to be a major success for the Erie County Bar Association and all participants involved. Slots for the September 26 event filled quickly after the it was first announced that it would take place. Attorneys volunteered to meet individually with military veterans and first responders in order to prepare wills and living wills, as well as healthcare and financial powers of attorney documents free of charge. The program is a way to give back to those who put their lives on the line for all of us, making sure that they and their families are protected should tragedy ever strike.

Altogether, 26 ECBA members assisted, resulting in 53 legal documents being prepared during the 4-hour period. ECBA Vice President, Melissa Shirey, chaired this year’s Wills for Heroes event, with assistance from attorneys Val Kuntz and Tom Minarcik. Paralegals from The Knox Law Firm, The Quinn Firm, Sesler & Sesler, and GE were on hand as notaries and witnesses.

The success of the 2014 and 2015 Wills for Heroes events in Erie ensures that another is in the works for 2016. Wills for Heroes is a nationally-based program created by the Wills for Heroes Foundation. Find more information at: WillsForHeroes.org