Veterans Therapeutic Art Center | Teen Ink

Veterans Therapeutic Art Center

September 30, 2014
By aleeper1 BRONZE, Bremen, Indiana
aleeper1 BRONZE, Bremen, Indiana
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
Music makes me strong, God makes me stronger...<br /> -Raine Kusterbeck


Do you know someone who has served in the war? Come back with physical and emotional disabilities? Even someone who has died in war?
The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center is the place to go. Or at least it was. The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center was a place for veterans and their families to go, to get away from their everyday lives, to do something to keep their minds off of everyday things. The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center closed at the beginning of July. “It was an incredible place, changing Veterans lives for the better,” Anna says, “ They were doing amazing things.” The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center was located in Plymouth, Indiana in the old Fire Station. 
Also known as VTAC, the Veterans Therapeutic Art Center really was a special place. It was started by two men, Richard and Larry. Larry had been serving in Iraq and came back a very depressed man. Larry never left his house and came close to committing suicide. After many months of this, Richard decided he needed to do something. Richard went over to his house almost every day. Sometimes he made Larry get up and do something, but most of the time, Richard just sat there and chatted with him. They talked about everything under the moon, except for the war. Eventually, Richard was able to get Larry out of the house. They went to a workshop and built a lot of different things, some of their work was displayed in the studio. After a while of doing this, Larry started to feel better. One day he expressed his thanks to Richard by saying, “This has helped me a lot, I just feel we need to do this for other people.” And thus, VTAC began.
After VTAC began, they were provided space at Ancilla college. The nuns were very helpful to their process. A few months before they announced their closure, the town of Plymouth had granted them the old Plymouth fire station. When they announced their closure, they were close to having the place off and running. They had a $50,000 donation to start their remodels, and once they started getting settled, they were given another $50,000! They used this money to convert the fire station into a rec center. On the main floor, which was where you entered, there were many offices, a small conference area, and a huge portrait showing the circle of life. This portrait was very special to the men working there, because it was made by the Ancilla nuns. Upstairs was where the studios were. After getting off the elevator, you walk right into the art and pottery studio. If you continue further into the building, there were both a music and photography studio, with very state-of-the-art furnishings.
“It really is a shame that this place has closed. I walked right into that place and was instantly touched. I can’t imagine what it would do for a veteran. This was a special place that did a lot for people. It was filled with wonderful people that were more than willing to help.” These veterans risk their all for you, coming back in need of help. We have the power to help them. Are you going to?


The author's comments:

This was a place I went and experienced hands on. It was a great place, and I wish I could do more for them then I am. 


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This article has 1 comment.


on Oct. 19 2014 at 12:08 am
Brittany1996 SILVER, Waupun, Wisconsin
9 articles 1 photo 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game.

First off I have to say I love how you described the buliding from when you first walk in the front door. A few things I want to add though, when you quote a real person in story you dont have to put their last name or location but you need to at least explain who they are or how they are related to the story, whether they stayed their too or they have been there. Also adding a little more information about the place would have been cool. Maybe like how they would be accepted into the place, if they had to apply if their was a waiting list, ect.