A program that helps transition Veterans into post service life was the highlight today at the Military Family Resource Centre at CFB North Bay this morning.
For the second year, Mayor Al McDonald proclaimed May 30th as Veteran Family Day in North Bay.
“The Veteran Family Program has recently completed its first full year as a permanent program,” stated Tessa Clermont, Executive Director at the North Bay MFRC.
“We are incredibly proud that the program has been so successful in ensuring Veterans and their families are well supported during their transition to post service life.”
Tina Thomason is one of the two MFRC Veteran Family Program Coordinators. She says the key to the transition is communicating to Veterans that they do not need to go through this sometimes challenging transition alone.
“Veterans when they are releasing, they come from an environment where things are very close knit and it is all about teamwork,” said Thomason.
“Then when they are releasing they often feel very alone, not sure where to go, not sure how to access services and things like that so we have brought together the partners that are really invested in supporting veterans in our community.
“We make sure that we are all easily accessible and if they come to us and we are not the ones to help then we will definitely steer them in the right direction to make sure they get the right help,” she said.
Thomason says she has seen the value of the program first hand. One story she shares is one about a peer support coordinator’s brother, who publicly shares his gratitude for the program and how it changed his life.
“He was in a really bad place, he connected with us and sort of engaged with some of our services and today he is a totally different person,” said Thomason candidly.
“He is thriving, he is healthy, well and happy. I would say that if I were to think of the most fulfilling part of my job, he encapsulates that.”
