“It all began with Gold Star Mother Suzy Shealy, who lost her son in Baghdad in 2005, and City of Columbia cultural arts coordinator Brenda Oliver, who was moved by a touching experience with the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit at Ft. Jackson. These individuals shared their life-changing experiences which became the heart and soul of Creative Journey. Creative Journey is an art resource program that provides a monthly art session for the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC, the Army’s largest installation in the U.S. The program began this year in January and is designed to use art as a form of recovery for the soldiers, the majority of whom suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. This is the only arts recovery program in the country for active members of the military that exists as a result of a partnership between city government and the military. The program is supported by monetary donations and in-kind contributions from local businesses and a host of loyal and loving volunteers whose efforts are part of a wonderful recovery process for the soldiers.
The vision for the program in 2014 calls for expanding the program to include other veterans from the different branches of the services. ” -Brenda Oliver
We are proud to have an organization like Creative Journey in our city! Congratulations on the Award for Programming Excellence; Population over 30,000, City of Columbia Parks and Recreation. You have certainly earned it through all of your hard work.
Do you have exciting news about your organization to share? Send us an email at culturalcouncil.sc@gmail.com and we might feature you next!
theartsfundsc 