Press release:
Wednesday night’s “Veteran Connection” at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road served a valuable purpose for former military members, their families and the community, in general.
Pamela Ware, president of the Anna Ingalsbe Lovell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, said she learned a lot about local services for veterans as she chatted with representatives of the organizations that participated.
“I will be able to report back to the chapter members some important information about the numerous veterans’ programs,” said Ware, who serves as the DAR’s volunteer services representative for eight Western New York counties.
Ware said that after speaking with Abigail Savage and Eric Krupczyk, psychologist and peer support specialist, respectively, with the Batavia VA Medical Center’s PTSD unit, she plans to direct the DAR’s next fundraising effort to support that agency.
The Batavia PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) program is one of only three such VA programs in the United States.
Other agencies taking part in the event were WNYHeroes, Inc., Best Self Behavioral Health, Department of Veterans Affairs crisis line, Buffalo VA Regional Office, VA Healthcare and WNY Healthcare System.
Paul Schwartzmeyer, community outreach event coordinator for WNY Heroes, Inc., said his organization provides services to veterans and families in 14 counties. Programs include food distribution, mortgage/rent assistance, service dogs, holiday gifts and backpacks for children of veterans.
He said the Buffalo-based agency works with Bill Joyce, Veterans Services director in Batavia, to assist veterans in Genesee County.
Photo at top: Pamela Ware, left, meets with Abigail Savage and Eric Krupczyk, representatives of the Batavia VA Medical Center’s PTSD unit, at Wednesday night’s “Veteran Connection” event at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road.
Photo: Navy veteran Neil Gagne, left, receives information about WNYHeroes, Inc., from Chris Kankiewicz of Batavia, center, and Paul Schwartzmeyer, a former Batavian now residing in Buffalo. Submitted photos.
