ARTSPEAK RADIO presents, EVAC-Endowment For Veterans Art Campaign-Joe Williams, Chris White-Pets For Vets, & Tribute to Sandra Moran

Joe Williams with EVAC-Endowment For Veterans Art Campaign talks with Maria about the organization. Chris White with Pets For Vets and owner of Dog Obedience Group in Blue Springs, joins us live in the studio.
EVAC –Endowment For Veterans Art Campaign
The mission of EVAC’s social venture is to create a new organization and culture that supports and encourages veterans to use art as a tool for self-expression, a means to communicate with their families and communities, and successfully reassimilate back into society and their new lives as disabled American veterans.
Our purpose is to set up a network of physical and online resources that encourage and support our nation’s veterans to pursue their creative endeavors. By creating a new program and culture that is a positive self-constructive outlet, we can begin to break down the self-destructive habits veterans develop when returning to their families, communities and suffocating government based bureaucracy. EVAC-art.com and Iron Will Studios gives veterans the support, platform, and space needed to create and showcase their creative work and talents regardless of abilities and disabilities. This allows veterans to find an empowering, constructive, & motivational outlet with a beneficial, rewarding product.
EVAC Marketplace- Artists can currate their works online allowing the viewer to purchase on the spot. Artists will have the ability to upload their works themselves, along with their artist statement.
Operation Art offers veterans and civilians online art resources and workshops to advance their abilities and potential careers.
Iron Will Studios An art center designed to allow members with disabilities to use art equipment catered to their disability. Veteran and civilians are welcome.

Contact us; 4314 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64111, United States
[email protected]

The Pets for Vets program is dedicated to supporting veterans and providing a second chance for shelter pets by rescuing, training and pairing them with America’s veterans who could benefit from a companion animal.
The Pets… 3 to 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year. These animals can make excellent companion animals but never have that chance. Our dedicated animal trainers will evaluate and rescue the shelter animals and provide additional training to ensure that they are able to assimilate into a home, which is quite different from a shelter environment.
The Vets… Sadly, there are alarming statistics of suicide, family abuse and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder facing veterans returning to civilian life after military duty. This can cause a downward spiral of apathy, unemployment, broken relationships, addiction and depression. It is our belief that companion animals can be the life saving therapy or friend that many returning service men and women need.
Avery Shahandeh and her husband Aaron hope to connect the two. They’re the organizers of the Kansas City chapter of Pets for Vets, a national organization that has bureaus in 34 U.S. cities. Avery says the difference between Pets for Vets and other military-based adoption agencies lies in the training, which can go for up to eight weeks per companion animal.”That pet is trained professionally by our group of trainers. Our trainers go and interview the veteran and find out what their likes and dislikes are — whether they want to walk, run or have a couch potato,” Avery said. “Having the dog would keep them from struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction and even domestic violence.” Chris White, owner of Dog Obedience Group in Blue Springs, Mo., sits at the heart of training animals for the program. White also served in the U.S. military as an Air Force mechanic, and he embraces the benefits of a dog or cat.”It’s been proven the dog is a very therapeutic piece. Two, you have to take care of the dog. That gives you something to take your mind off your stresses and what’s bothering you at that point,” White said.

www.petsforvets.com/kc-mo

Later in the program, in memory of our dear friend and colleague, Sandra Moran, we will re-broadcast the episode from Feb. 11, 2015, Mi Amour-Love Stories (Or Not) with a fictional story wriiten and read by our dear friend, Sandra Moran, who passed away November 7, 2015. We express our deepest sympathy to her loving wife, Cheryl, Sandra’s family, and the many friends whose lives were touched by her generous smile and loving spirit. Sandra spent this past year giving back to the LGBT community by co-hosting The Tenth Voice on KKFI 90.1, served as a board member for the LikeMe Lighthouse-Kansas City, and appeared as featured writer at literary events and readings around the country. Miguel M Morales, member of the Fabulous Queer Writer group wrote, “My friend, JCCC colleague, and fellow Fabulous Queer Writer, Sandra Moran, died yesterday. She changed the literary landscape. You may not know it but you’ll feel it when you read authors from the midwest and from other queer writers. Sandra is an award winning author of “Letters Never Sent,” “All We Lack,” “NUDGE,” and “The Addendum.”


Share This Episode