Camp Resilience: New Gilford-based program offers respite & counseling services for veterans in need

GILFORD — Some 17 veterans who receive services from the Veterans Administration's Boston Medical Center spent the last two days in the Lakes Region taking part in outdoor adventures while also honing their skills in resume writing and searching for jobs.

The veterans were taking part in Camp Resilience, a "wounded warrior" pilot program being hosted by the recently-formed Patriot Resilient Leader Institute, whose mission is to provide veterans and injured first responders the opportunity to come to the Lakes Region for a brief respite of recreation, personal counseling, group seminars and team building.

The veterans, who are staying at the Gunstock Inn, spent Wednesday taking Segway tours and enjoying aerial treetop adventures at Gunstock Mountain Resort and Thursday morning went fishing and took boat tours of Lake Winnipesaukee before enjoying a cookout at Gilford Town Beach.

Sandwiched in between these outdoor adventures were job search and resume writing classes at Lakes Region Community College .

''We're having a great time while doing some self-esteem building,'' said Edward Mitchell, a Marine Corps veteran from South Boston who served in Lebanon in the 1980s, shortly after terrorist attack on a Marine barracks claimed 241 lives. He said that the resume building skills classes were particularly helpful.

Ray Gonsalves, 64, of East Providence, R,I., currently lives in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston. He served in Vietnam from 1968 through 1971 and is taking part in a program for homeless veterans. ''I've had some problems so I came to the VA for medical care and I can't say anything but good about the VA. There are great people who run the program which is probably one of the best in the country,'' said Gonsalves.

He said that he had problems maneuvering the Segway but surprised himself by the way he was able to climb through the aerial treetop adventures course at Gunstock.

John James, a Navy veteran who served aboard the U.S.S. George Washington nuclear submarine from 1973-79, said he has used Segways before and had no trouble with them. He said that the boat tour which went around Bear Island was enjoyable but a bit chilly on the way back in when the boat was headed into the wind.

He said that the interview skills course was ''designed to improve our marketability'' and was particularly helpful. ''I've had a lot of jobs but they were always with people who knew me. I've never gone through the interview process before and because of today's job market it's important to have those skills.''

Chris Page of Brighton, Mass., a Navy veteran, said visiting the Lakes Region was sort of like a homecoming as his family has a summer place near Melvin Village. ''I like New Hampshire and come up here a lot. But I feel a little guilty about having all these things done for us for free,'' said Page.

Frank Dawkins of Springfield, Mass., who has spent 16 years in the Army and the reserves, said he was in awe of the area's natural beauty. ''There's no landscape like this. I didn't catch any fish but t was so quiet out there I didn't mind. There's no sirens like there are all the time in Boston.''

Brian Sullivan of the North Shore area was one of the lucky fishermen in the group, landing a salmon which he brought ashore with him and which was cooked on the grill for lunch.

Gilford selectman John O'Brien and Don Morrissey, both Vietnam veterans who were helicopter pilots, and are members of the Patriot Resilient Leader Institute , said that the visit by the veterans had gone well and were grateful for the support that they received from places like the Gunstock Inn, Gunstock Mountain Resort, Silver Sands and Shaw's supermarket.

Morrissey said that currently, the PRLI has no funding other than board donations. Anyone wishing to learn more about this project or make a donation of financial support, goods or services may do so by visiting the group's website at www.prli.us or by calling Kurt Webber, PRLI president, at 520-3989. Financial donations may also be sent directly to the PRLI Account, c/o Bank of New Hampshire, 62 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH 03246.

CAPTIONS

John O'Brien, Gilford selectman and a Vietnam veteran, talks with John James, one of 17 veterans from the Boston area who are in the Lakes Region as guests of the Patriot Resilient Leader Institute. The veterans, all of whom receive services from the Veterans Administration's Boston Medical Center, enjoyed a cookout at Gilford Beach after a morning of boat tours and fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee. (Roger Amsden/for The Laconia Daily Sun)

Brian Sullivan, a U.S. Navy veteran from Boston, holds a landlocked salmon that he caught on Lake Winnipesaukee Thursday morning and was cooked on a grill for him by Gilford Fire Chief Steve Carrier at a cookout at Gilford Beach hosted by the Patriot Resilient Leader Institute. He is one of 17 veterans who receive services from the Veterans Administration's Boston Medical Center who are visiting the area. (Roger Amsden/for The Laconia Daily Sun)