NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck Elks Lodge 967, in partnership with the Connecticut Veteran’s Center, will be hosting a seminar about post traumatic stress and suicidal tendencies for the first time in the borough.
The event, called the Edge of Darkness Celebration of Life, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Elks Lodge at 758 Rubber Ave. from 3 to 9 p.m. The seminar is open and free to all veterans and their families. The event will also include speakers, a buffet dinner and a band for entertainment.
“A lot of veterans need a lot of support. A lot of veterans have post traumatic stress and they don’t really know it,” Naugatuck Elks Secretary Jim Desmarais said. “We’re just trying to help anybody we can.”
One of the speakers will include Naugatuck Elks member and the event chairman Bill Mason who is a Vietnam Marine veteran and a Purple Heart recipient.
Desmarias said the seminar will welcome any veteran who would like to speak at the event.
The lodge received a grant from the Elks National Foundation, a charitable arm of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, to fund the event, Desmarias said.
The organization is providing lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11 at the lodge for Naugatuck veterans who plan to participate at the Veterans Day parade. Veterans will be lining up for the parade ION Bank which will begin at 1 p.m.
In August, the borough Elks Lodge held an event called, Veterans’ Appreciation Day where about 75 to 80 veterans attended at the lodge. The organization plans to hold another appreciation event.
“There’s a lot of veterans that need some help,” Desmarias.
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