No Fooling Here – Music Makes A Great Muster!
On Tuesday April 1st, we gathered at the Miami County YMCA Activity Center for our Muster & Mingle program. While everyone was socializing, we set up a Taco Bar for dinner!
After dinner, our Director Valerie shared upcoming events in the county – there are so many events in the area for our veterans! She also discussed our upcoming events, including our Gala on June 21st. You can check out our upcoming events by clicking here!
After announcements, Julie with Valor Therapeutics took the floor. We have hosted Julie before, and just like last time she brought Zee, the Facility Service Dog. Everyone enjoyed visiting with Zee and those who were meeting him for the first time enjoyed hearing the story behind his name. Zee was named in honor of MIDN 3/C Justin Zemser, who would’ve graduated with the Naval Academy class of 2017. Sadly, he was killed in the Amtrak derailment of train 188 in 2015. Thanks to Zee, his memory lives on in everyone who hears his story. Zee works at Valor Therapeutics, predominately as an Anxiety Relaxation dog.
While Zee was making his rounds, Julie told us about the work they do at Valor Therapeutics. They use a combination of therapies, from music to art to yoga, to help with everything from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries to emotional regulation and reality orientation. As a group, we did body percussion and a rhythm exercise. Julie explained entrainment, which is the synchronization of one rhythmic system with another, often to establish a common period or rhythm. We learned that human bodies are designed to be in entrainment, and by using harmonicas, they are able to help patients during breath training to learn to breathe in sync in a group setting.
As Julie was talking to us about the breakthroughs they’ve had with veterans in training, she was telling us about a veteran who was doing really well in the program but unfortunately had reached the end of his allowed time for therapy. With Julie’s help, he spontaneously wrote a song about the frustrations he had with his quality of life. After hearing the story, one of our veterans said, “He got a taste of hope and then it was ripped away. The military is good at that.” We ended the session by singing Simple Man as a group, with Julie accompanying us on her guitar.
Muster & Mingle is an twice-monthly event, held in Piqua and Tipp City. Muster & Mingle is a free event honoring veterans and their loved ones. Enjoy a delicious dinner, meet fellow veterans and their families, and hear from an engaging guest speaker who understands the unique journey of military life. Whether you’re looking to reconnect, make new friends, or simply enjoy a good meal in good company, this is a night designed for you.
Hosted with gratitude and respect by those who understand the value of service—and the importance of community after the uniform.
For more information about Muster and Mingle, and any of our upcoming events, check out our events page by clicking here. We would love to see you!!