Guitars for Vets Maryland heals vets with music

On this day of appreciation, we bring you a story of thanks two-fold.
 
Meet a retired Marine offering the gift of music, while mending the spirits of a small group of injured warriors.

It's a program called "Guitars For Vets."  You can find it on a small stage in Cecil County.

"These guys and gals, a lot of them have every right to have the worst attitudes in the world because of things that happened to them," says Bob Hevner, the local chapter leader of "Guitars For Vets".  "Yet they are the most humble, caring, thankful people you should ever want to find."

At the Perry Point VA Medical Center, music is the message.
 
Hevner offers his talent for guitar as a gift to those who once served this country but now need help in pulling their lives back together.  In fact, some at the VA hospital see it as a welcome extension to treatment programs. Since 2007, "Guitars For Vets"  has reached over 12 hundred veterans at VA hospitals around the country.

"Music is an amazing tool to use in terms of therapy sessions," says Marian Jones, a recreation therapist at Perry Point. "Because it helps people connect. Regardless of the age, people identify with it."

Mathew Seiler is one of Bob's students. He has served tours in Kuwait, Afganistan, and Iraq. "My guitar saved my life more times than my rifle ever will. There have been some times in my life that I was pretty far down the totem pole. And it was either the choice of doing something very stupid or picking up my guitar," says Seiler. "I picked up my guitar and I played through it. And it helped me."

Lamonte West is another benefitting from the program. "Lost my job. Couldn't hang on to my apartment. Need to start over. This is the place, a good place to start over." With a guitar in his hands, Lamonte feels something deeper in the music. "A release of inner feelings, inner pains, emotions… a way to release it."

Everyone involved admits there is true potential in this program. "A little bit of self esteem for accomplishing something," says Bob Hevner. "It's a challenge for some of them. It gives them something to focus on. It gives them camaraderie. It gives them fellowship."

Bob is currently teaching four vets; but with a waiting list of 18, resources are scarce.  "Guitars For Vets" is a non-profit program in need of donations, volunteers, and even used guitars in any condition.

Monetary donations can be sent to:
Guitars 4 Vets
Perry Point Chapter
P.O. Box 132
Conowingo, MD 21918

Anyone interesting in volunteering can contact Bob Hevner at hevnerrv@gmail.com.

Guitars can be donated to:
Appalachian Bluegrass
643 Frederick Road
Catonsville, MD 21228

And the group's Facebook page can be found as "Guitars for Vets Maryland, Perry Point Chapter".