NEW VETERANS ORTHOPEDIC TRAINING CENTER TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH WEDNESDAYSEPTEMBER 27, 2017 AT 5:30 PM IN ST. PETE WITH CHAMBER PRESIDENT & DEPUTY MAYOR Veterans Helping Veterans Program Offers FREE training in New Innovation DistrictSt. Petersburg, Florida - (September 20, 2017) - The new St. Petersburg-based non-profit Veterans Orthopedic Training Center, with the motto of Veterans Helping Veterans, is slated to open September 27, 2017 with an official ribbon cutting set for at 5:30 pm. The location is 625 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 365 located in the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital medical complex. The web site is: Veteransorthotraining.org. For more information on volunteering or making a donation call: 727-394-1700. The public is invited to an Open House on Tuesday, Sept. 26th from 12 to 7 pm.The Veterans Orthopedic Training Center is designed to train veterans AT NO CHARGE to work with casting and bracing orthopedic patients from pediatrics to geriatrics. This new program was created by Charlie Barocas requiring students to dedicate 50 hours of “distance learning” and 40 hours of in-residence hands on training in St. Petersburg, Florida. The students will leave the program as trained Level One orthopedic technologists.With the birth of the non-profit organization founder Mr. Barocas will train 300 veterans a year, 24 students a month. Since thousands of Orthopedic technologists are needed at hospitals and private practices, this training will allow vets to obtain employment. Due to donations, there will be NO CHARGE TO THE VET. The founder and his sponsors will invest $200,000 a year training hundreds of veterans a year at no charge. The students will stay and play in the City of St. Pete, booking over 1,500 room nights a year.The non-profit organization will be located in the downtown “innovation” district of St. Petersburg. The experienced staff also includes co-lead instructor Kyle Nagy and many volunteers.