“We have a lot of veterans who miss that camaraderie,” said Lina Knox, a Veterans’ Outreach Specialist. “They miss being in the service, being with the other military individuals. Maybe in their community they’re not around veterans and they just miss that.”
Counselors offer veterans and their families help re-integrating into civilian society as well as other challenges like employment and housing.
Aside from counseling, they also believe in wellness and recreation like guitar lessons and golf outings.
“You get to have the fun of hearing the sounds while you’re exercising your brains and your fingers and having a good time in general,” said Donnie who is a guitar coach, and did not want his last name used. He leads guitar sessions twice a week.
Knox says recreation like guitar is a way for veterans to get in the door, and become comfortable with the center.
“We really do believe that wellness and recreation is just another alternative form of healing for veterans even if they don’t want to come in and sit down and talk to a counselor one on one,” said Knox.
Group counseling session are on hold because of COVID, but at any given time there are 200 vets being helped by other vets who can related to them.
“The people that work here at the Vet Center are combat veterans themselves and so they understand, they get it,” said Knox. “So when veterans come here, the provider they’re talking to is another veteran.
Records here are confidential. Veterans and current service members are invited to walk in.
“What we try to tell veterans is, just come into the Vet Center. What is your issue what’s your problem how can we help you?” says Knox.
The Vet Center is located at 700 East Main in Anoka. It’s open 8 to 4:30 every weekday.
