Guitars for Vets A national service organization benefiting Veterans is launching a fundraising campaign as part of National PTSD Awareness Month. Throughout the month of June, the Cincinnati chapter of Guitars for Vets, together with Sam Ash Music Stores, will collect donations as part of its mission to provide free guitars and lessons to Veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“It’s restorative; it’s healing,” said Richard Hutchinson, coordinator for the Cincinnati chapter of Guitars for Vets. “There’s a sense of harmony that comes from playing guitar. But it’s more than just spending time learning an instrument; it’s taking time to share life experiences.”
Today, there may be as many as 400,000 service members living with “the invisible wounds of war,” such as PTSD. But many are finding hope in an unlikely place: behind the wood and strings of an acoustic guitar. Weekly guitar lessons provided by volunteers at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center are designed to help students learn at their own pace. After completing 10 weeks of lessons, graduates are presented with their very own acoustic guitar. From there, weekly group sessions provide Veterans a communal atmosphere to talk and continue to play music with peers who have shared similar experiences.
Between June 1 and 30, the public is encouraged to donate to Guitars for Vets online or at Sam Ash Music Stores, 11805 Commons Drive in Springdale, Ohio. For $1, names can be added to a donation wall of symbolic guitar picks at Sam Ash.
The store will also collect used guitars and musical equipment. For larger monetary donations, the public is encouraged to gift securely online at www.guitarsforvets.org.
On Sunday June 21, 2015, Guitars 4 Vets Cincinnati is joining with Sam Ash Music and the Sonny Moorman Group to hold an open jam from 1pm to 4pm at the Sam Ash location in Springdale. This event is open to the public, anyone can come out and perform, and Sam Ash will loan participants an instrument if necessary.
All participants will receive a $10.00 Sam Ash gift card!
For more information, contact the Guitars for Vets Cincinnati chapter coordinator, Richard Hutchinson at g4vcincinnati@hotmail.com or (513) 835-3496.
