This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Stories of War Brought to Life by Vietnam Veteran April 21

Caesar Soto, a Vietnam veteran, will speak about his war experiences at a free event at Warren-Newport Public Library, 224 N. O’Plaine Road in Gurnee on Monday, April 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. His presentation is part of  the series “The Stories of War from those Who Have Been There” coordinated by the Lake-McHenry Veterans and Family Services program affiliated with the Lake County Health Department. Founded in 2012, the program is designed to engage veterans who are often reluctant to seek help on issues ranging from job and benefit issues to emotional stress caused by deployment, reintegration, and family issues. Currently, there are approximately 40,000 veterans in Lake County alone, according to the Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission. Of those veterans, 20 to 25 percent struggle with mental health issues.

 

The series is designed to honor veterans and promote conversation among veterans, their loved ones and the public about the long-term effects of military experiences. Soto was 20 when he returned from Vietnam in 1969.  Although 45 years have passed since he survived combat, post traumatic stress still haunts him today, just as it still impacts the lives of many veterans. The Lake-McHenry Veterans and Family Services program assists veterans, whether they served in Vietnam or more present day conflicts, and their families, face challenges before, during and after deployments.

Find out what's happening in Grayslakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

The program is free and open to the public. Reservations are unnecessary. For more information, Call: (847) 377-8386.

Find out what's happening in Grayslakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?