Courtesy photos.
‘Thank-A-Vet’ this holiday season by supporting and attending events sponsored by Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation
SANTA BARBARA — Freedom in the United States is largely due to the service and sacrifice of our armed forces on active duty and veterans. It is important to acknowledge this gift by remembering and honoring their work during this season of giving as well as yearlong. One of the best ways to thank our local vets is by supporting and attending annual patriotic events sponsored by Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF). PCVF hosts free public community activities and special ceremonies on holidays including Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Veterans Week, featuring the annual parade and Military Ball, as well as special events that commemorate WWI, D-Day and other WWII events, Korea War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This important work underscores the mission of the organization, which is, in the words of founder Pierre Claeyssens, “To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen… to be forgotten is the worst.” If you would like to ensure our local veterans are thanked, honored and supported during the holidays and all year, you can make a tax-deductible donation by visiting the organization’s website: pcvf.org
According to Alexandra Kelly , Ph.D., a psychological health subject matter expert at the Psychological Health Center of Excellence, “The qualities of thankfulness and appreciation are well-established spiritual and social values. In recent years, however, gratitude has also emerged as a focus of intervention in medical and mental health treatment.” She goes on to point out that, “Interventions that promote gratitude may have particular relevance for service members. Military life is often stressful and can require considerable hardship and sacrifice. Purposeful efforts to acknowledge the good things in one’s life may serve as a protective factor against mental health impacts of unavoidable life and military stressors. While there is limited research into the influence of gratitude on active-duty service members, studies focusing on military veterans support this notion. For example, a recent national study found that among military veterans with high levels of lifetime trauma exposure, dispositional gratitude was one of several factors associated with resilience to symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety.” 1
PCVF also remind us that the holidays can be especially tough on active duty military and veterans missing loved ones. They recommend resources that can make a positive difference during this time of year. If you know active military persons, their family or vets who are stressed during holiday celebrations, you can respond to their needs with empathy, create a warm safe environment for them to relax, show respect for their feelings and acknowledge the need for privacy. You can help someone you know who is in distress by accessing the Veterans Crisis Line, which will be available throughout the winter holiday season including Christmas and New Year’s. The Veterans Crisis Line “connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.”
About Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation: Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation is committed to honoring the men and women who have served in uniform at any time. PCVF does this by supporting veterans and active duty members, and related partner organizations, in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, as well as preserving military history and legacy. The Foundation works to uphold Pierre Claeyssens’s vision that those who have served are “Never Forgotten.” PCVF is funded entirely by private donations. For more information, visit www.pcvf.org or call (805) 259-4394.