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A group of local people have come together to not only plan monthly events for veterans, but give them access to resources and somewhere to turn to when they feel hopeless or alone.

It’s called the Lincoln County Veterans Suicide Prevention Coalition and together they are working to connect veterans to the resources and help they need – whenever they need it.

Carla Loveless-Tackett, of the Lincoln County Veterans Outreach Center, said when she created the coalition, the goal was to bring local community leaders together to create a network for veterans in need of mental health resources.

“Our goal was to work on veterans suicide prevention and in doing so, try to work with the community and our partners to bring awareness to, one, potential suicide risks but also making people more comfortable saying the words ‘mental health,’ or ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety’” Loveless-Tackett said. “The same thing with the word ‘suicide.’ It’s a word that is used to describe how a person is feeling or even struggling at a certain period of time. But throughout society, there’s always been this stigma attached to it. People wouldn’t talk about it.”

Loveless-Tackett wanted to bring more mental health support for veterans in rural areas. Thus the coalition was born and has not only brought veterans together, but has helped some veterans who were seriously contemplating suicide.

“Veterans as a result have reached out. We’ve worked with the police department, the mayor, and some key individuals that when a veteran is in need, or maybe needing a ride to the hospital for more intensive treatment, they were able to get their need met right then,” she said. “Without delay, without question. Everybody was in place to help that individual.”

The coalition hosts what they call Monday Musters, which is a free breakfast for veterans every month on the fourth Monday. During the summer, the coalition also had monthly cookouts. The breakfasts are sponsored each month by various businesses, churches and locals.

“It’s open to any and all veterans,” Loveless-Tackett said. “It doesn’t matter when you served, where you served, what city you live in or what county you live in because we all struggle with similar situations and issues.”

The Monday Muster event features a guest speaker and information for veterans on services that are available to them, including services offered by the Lincoln County Veterans Outreach Center.

Vietnam veteran Steve Grimm said the Monday Muster breakfasts and summer cookouts are like a family reunion.

“Same faces and smiles, and struggles, too,” he said. “It brings everybody together. You get kind of warm and fuzzy with it.”

Grimm – who is originally from New York and came to live in Lincoln County – learned of the Monday Musters through the Lincoln County Veteran Outreach Center and credits the vet center with saving his life.

“You need the local eyes and ears and problem solving,” Grimm said.

Grimm needed help getting his driver’s license renewed and, not being a fan of computers, he didn’t know how to go about doing it. He spoke to Stanford Police Department Officer Ray Sayre, also a veteran who attends the Monday Musters, and he showed Grimm how to get it done.

“That’s what the Vet Center is about, that’s what the coalition is about, giving veterans an opportunity to come together with other brothers and sisters and have that camaraderie, that socialization,” Loveless-Tackett said. “The other piece to the coalition, having the muster, is our effort to reach out and connect with other veterans who are possibly isolated and alone, who don’t have the luxury of having a strong support system.”

There was nothing like the Vet Center or coalition when Grimm came home from Vietnam.

“They didn’t even know what PTSD was,” he said. “Everybody sucked it up and drove on and it just wasn’t working. You can’t un-think that experience.”

The Vet Center and coalition events connect veterans like Grimm and Sayre with others who have the same struggles.

“It’s a way for us to get together and it doesn’t matter what branch you served under, we all have that brotherhood and sisterhood,” Sayre said. “It gives us a chance to know one another and maybe share experiences because I may have been in a place overseas and one of these people could’ve been standing with me and I wouldn’t know it. It gives us the opportunity to come together and just enjoy one another’s company because we all share a particular experience.”

A lot of veterans are now getting thanks that they didn’t receive 40 to 50 years ago.

“We’re appreciative of it. We can come together knowing what happened and what went on and we appreciate one another,” he said. “Carla (Loveless-Tackett) is a blessing. I have never met anyone as passionate about helping veterans as she is.”

So you know

The Monday Musters are held at 10 a.m. at the Wellness Center in Veterans Park on the fourth Monday of every month. It is open to any and all veterans.