Whitesboro resident Keisha Head knows the importance of social activities for Veterans.
Head’s husband is a Veteran, and as such, she’s seen the good it does for these heroes to gather in a social setting and visit, play card games and enjoy a cup of coffee together.
“Most of these guys don’t want to talk about their war history,” Head said. “They just want to get out of the house and have people to spend time with. It’s a huge boost to their morale.”
Head found there wasn’t much in the area specifically for Veterans, so she decided to create something for them on her own. In a grass roots effort, she was able to secure Cook’s Main Stage in downtown Whitesboro as a venue. Then, Iron Soldiers Coffee Company agreed to donate the coffee.
Local businesses began offering their support. Flowers By Faith donated cards, dominos and checkers. 56 Deli donated chocolate cake. Several companies donated items for a wonderful raffle basket, the proceeds of which will help offset costs of future events like this one.
Around 30 people attended the event held last Thursday from 6-9 p.m. Some were Veterans, and some were community members who wanted to come and show their support. While a few card games did break out, people mostly just sat around and visited. A couple of people even brought their Army jeeps to put on display outside the venue. For Head, this was a great first step in building what she hopes will be a monthly event.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans remain at an elevated risk for suicide. Head feels that by creating a place where these people can gather and socialize, she can help reduce that number.
“I’m looking into creating a nonprofit organization for Veterans in Whitesboro. I’d love to see more support for our Veterans, and hope that this monthly social will take off and create a great community for these Vets.”
To learn more about future Veteran’s Socials or to help support these events through donations or sponsorships, email Keisha Head at [email protected]
