Wounded Warrior Project Veterans Heartened at DIY Event

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va., Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Veterans and their families gathered at their neighborhood Home Depot for Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) do-it-yourself workshop. Warriors interacted with other veterans while creating their very own display cases for a flag or medals.

The gathering provided an opportunity for warriors to make new friends and reconnect with old friends in a comfortable, family-oriented environment. Warriors also learned more about how WWP can support them and their families on their journeys to recovery.

"This event touched my heart because many of the Home Depot staff were veterans," said Pamela Travis, retired Army veteran. "I am normally a loner and don't socialize much, but events like this help me engage with people I've never met and continue to build friendships with veterans I already know."

"In many ways, these events are like support group programs in disguise," Pamela added.

Home Depot volunteer staff spent hours preparing for the event. They cut the wood, felt, and glass to the precise measurements and specifications to make each box a perfect masterpiece.

"With the raw materials they provided, we were able to personalize it to our liking," Pamela said. "Some people used different stains or colors, but each of us was able to create something unique to us and have a beautiful shadow box to place our medals, flag, or other keepsakes from our military careers."

Some warriors dedicated their shadow boxes to family members who had served before them.

"My dad was killed in Vietnam and was a Silver Star recipient," said retired Army veteran Randolph Hill. "I never had a box for his flag or medals, so making this for him made this event very special for me, my wife, and grandson."

It's important for warriors to talk to people who understand what they're going through. In a WWP survey (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/survey) of the wounded warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (51.6 percent) expressed they talk with fellow veterans to address their mental health issues.

To learn more about how WWP connects warriors to build strength through community, visit https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/alumni.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers – helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more: http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project