{"id":589956,"date":"2025-08-15T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=589956"},"modified":"2025-08-15T14:44:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T14:44:23","slug":"summer-festivals-offer-veterans-joy-connection-and-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=589956","title":{"rendered":"Summer festivals offer Veterans joy, connection and recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across the country, summer brings barbecues, car shows, live music and family-friendly festivals. But for many Veterans coping with posttraumatic stress disorder (<\/a>PTSD) or substance use challenges, these events can be overwhelming or out of reach. Recognizing this, VA facilities and community partners are creating safe, inclusive celebrations tailored to support Veteran recovery and social connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe aim to create an environment where Veterans can socialize and practice their recovery in a safe space,\u201d said Joe Devyak, a VA volunteer specialist. \u201cIt\u2019s about supporting the whole health of Veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n

A festival for recovery and joy<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>
The car show was a nostalgic success.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

One recent example is a summer festival originally inspired by a beloved Watermelon Fest. Spearheaded by American Legion Auxiliary member Chris Reed, the celebration grew into a multi-partner event that included a car show, live music, barbecue and\u2014true to tradition\u2014plenty of fresh watermelon.<\/p>\n

Reed partnered with organizations like the American Red Cross, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and the Knights of Columbus to bring the festival to life. These community partners, along with dozens of volunteers, created a day of connection, music and meaning for Veterans receiving care in residential treatment programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of our Veterans can\u2019t attend events out in the community,\u201d Reed explained. \u201cSo, we bring the celebration to them. You see so much joy in their eyes\u2014it\u2019s truly an honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Creating a gateway to VA services<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A<\/a>
The Iconix performed great music and had everyone singing and enjoying the day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

In addition to fun and fellowship, festivals like this one serve a greater purpose: connecting Veterans to care. This year\u2019s event included resource tables, outreach to outpatient Veterans and invitations to un-enrolled Veterans to learn about VA benefits and services<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat better way to introduce someone to VA than through food, music and conversations with fellow Veterans already in the system?\u201d asked Adam Swager, a VA public affairs and outreach coordinator. \u201cIt\u2019s a welcoming, non-intimidating way to get connected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Veterans had opportunities to meet staff, talk with peers and discover how VA services could support their health, recovery and quality of life.<\/p>\n

Volunteers make it happen<\/h2>\n
\n
\"Volunteer<\/a>
Watermelon and a smile make for a great event<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Behind every successful event are the dedicated volunteers who bring it to life. At VA facilities nationwide<\/a>, volunteers aren\u2019t just helpers, they\u2019re strategic partners who contribute to the emotional and social well-being of Veterans year-round.<\/p>\n

From organizing summer festivals to offering everyday companionship, VA volunteers enhance care in countless ways. Their work helps Veterans rediscover a sense of community and purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys made my day!\u201d one Veteran told the volunteers at the event.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in volunteering, donating, or sharing a skill with Veterans, reach out to your local VA\u2019s Center for Development & Civic Engagement (CDCE)<\/a>. Whether it\u2019s a few hours or an ongoing role, your contribution can help bring joy, connection and healing to those who\u2019ve served.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Across the country, summer brings barbecues, car shows, live music and family-friendly festivals. But for many Veterans coping with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or substance use challenges, these events can be overwhelming or out of reach. Recognizing this, VA facilities and community partners are creating safe, inclusive celebrations tailored to support Veteran recovery and social […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":589958,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1699,5,1609,1176],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-589956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-festival","category-health","category-recovery","category-summer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=589956"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":589977,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589956\/revisions\/589977"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/589958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=589956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=589956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=589956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}