{"id":93380,"date":"2019-06-18T19:03:39","date_gmt":"2019-06-18T19:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/river-trip-on-animas-looks-to-unite-veterans\/"},"modified":"2019-06-18T19:03:39","modified_gmt":"2019-06-18T19:03:39","slug":"river-trip-on-animas-looks-to-unite-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/river-trip-on-animas-looks-to-unite-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"River trip on Animas looks to unite veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"The
The Veterans Float & Picnic on Sunday on the Animas River is being offered for free to all veterans and their families.<\/span>Durango Herald file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

For many veterans, the camaraderie built in the military is the No. 1 thing missed after transitioning into civilian life. That\u2019s why events like this Sunday\u2019s second annual Veterans Float & Picnic are so important.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat veterans miss and suffer from \u2026 is the lack of camaraderie they had when they were on active duty,\u201d said Fritz Shry, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 4031 in Durango. \u201cOur goal is to bring the veteran community together and do something fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, Mountain Waters Rafting owners Dan Bechtel and James Wilkes, both with families that have military backgrounds, wanted to offer an experience to veterans in the community that would bring them and their families together.<\/p>\n

And what better way than on a raft down the Animas River?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe outdoors, it has that healing touch,\u201d Wilkes said. \u201cAnd veterans tend to be generally reclusive. So when they are able to do things as a group, they\u2019re more comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Shry, who joined the U.S. Navy in 1990 and retired in 2014, said the civilian world operates very differently than the military, which stresses high accountability and structure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re in the military, someone is looking out for you every day, several times a day,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one checks in on you in the civilian world like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

After leaving the military, many veterans suffer from this void. To address this, community organizations in recent years have made a concerted effort to hold events like the Veterans Float & Picnic to rebuild that lost camaraderie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always a work in progress,\u201d Shry said. \u201cUntil a veteran comes to their own personal understanding \u2026 then I think that\u2019s where veteran services organizations can really benefit the veterans and bring a sense of purpose back into their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demetrius Lewis, chairman of the Durango Elks Lodge Veterans Service Commission, said it\u2019s important for veterans to meet each other and maintain a strong connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cVets want to know if they get in a bind, someone is there to help steer them in the right direction,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd most just need someone to reach out and talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Elks Lodge, for instance, hosts a breakfast the first and third Sunday of every month to benefit veterans, and the VFW holds a social club every Thursday afternoon that speaks to this purpose.<\/p>\n

Calls to the American Legion and the Veterans Outreach Center of La Plata County were not immediately returned Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s float down the Animas River is open to all veterans and their families. The ride will start below Santa Rita Park, bypassing the Durango Whitewater Park to make for a more relaxed float. Participants are asked to show up at 11 a.m. at Santa Rita Park. The event and picnic are free and accessible to those with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Wilkes said the event in 2018 had a good turnout, but event organizers are hoping for more veterans and their families to attend this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a really positive reaction,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople were out there just enjoying the outdoors with their families and fellow veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n

jromeo@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A earlier version of this story erred in saying the float was Saturday. The event is Sunday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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