Local groups unite for PTSD awareness event

Nov. 2—As people remember veterans and their service at this time of year, several local organizations are holding a post-traumatic stress disorder awareness event. They say PTSD is an issue not just for veterans.

"PTSD is a community issue, and that's why we made this a community event," said Ted Donaldson, director of Compass Quest Veterans Advocacy Group. "We want to present information to people so that if they encounter someone who is struggling, they know where to refer them."

The event's core is the 2023 movie "Mending the Line." It's about an Afghanistan veteran with PTSD who uses fly-fishing as a form of therapy. Donaldson reached out to Holly Crane, co-owner of Bookhouse Cinema, for help getting the movie shown at the Joplin theater.

The PTSD awareness event will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Bookhouse Cinema, 715 Langston Hughes-Broadway in Joplin. It will start with a social time, and food will be available at Bookhouse. There will be a PTSD discussion panel with representatives from the Missouri Veterans Commission, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other participating groups.

Project Healing Waters will have a fly-fishing demonstration during the event. Cup O' Joe will be serving drinks. On Sunday, the movie is invitation-only, and will run from 4 to 6 p.m. After the movie, Heartland Canines will hold a service team graduation for a service dog and its veteran.

The event's presenting sponsor is Humana, which Donaldson said has been a great help in supporting other similar veteran-wellness events. Other sponsors include the Joplin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5293 and Bud's Baits.

Donaldson served in the U.S. Air Force for over 32 years. As a flight engineer, he flew helicopters all over the world. Later in his career, he flew missions in Desert Shield, Desert Storm and other combat zones. He was injured during his military service and has extensive experience with the military medical process, which he describes as complex.

In 2015, Donaldson started Compass Quest, a nonprofit organization that provides transitional services for veterans and their families. The organization also advocates for veterans issues with the state legislatures.

"We're mainly looking at ways to help veterans find purpose and mission, some of those things they were used to in their military service," Donaldson said.

The overall goal, and the main reason he started Compass Quest, was PTSD. The group has a wide network of programs in the area where it can refer veterans to provide alternative therapies. Specifically, the group has been looking at fly-fishing as an alternative therapy. Showing "Mending the Line" seemed like a natural fit.

For Crane, community outreach is a big part of the mission at Bookhouse Cinema. The theater often collaborates with organizations to raise awareness and funds.

"We like to have the movies showing people who are improving and that are realistic," Crane said. "A movie can look funny and entertaining, but you can also walk away changed."

Outreach with veterans groups is something Crane has always wanted to do. Community organizations like Compass Quest can help Bookhouse get the word out to the right audience. Crane said the theater's mission is to make all groups feel welcome.

"Films are therapeutic," Crane said. "We like that aspect, and we like the community involvement these kinds of collaborations bring. We're not just here for film snobs. We're here for everyone."

The movie interested Donaldson because it has a present-day setting. The Afghanistan war veteran finds the therapy in the repetitive action and mindful activities of fly-fishing.

"Mending the Line" was directed by Joshua Caldwell and stars Sinqua Walls and Brian Cox. Walls plays a marine wounded in Afghanistan struggling with both physical issues and PTSD symptoms. He finds help through friendship with a Vietnam veteran played by Cox and through fly-fishing.

Crane notes the movie was made in cooperation with many branches of the military. It was released in June but didn't have many showings around the United States.

"It's timely for a lot of reasons," Donaldson said. "No. 1, we just came out of a 20-year war in Afghanistan. The ending of that war was not good for those that served there. For those of us who served in Afghanistan, to see how we left Afghanistan is devastating. A lot of people are having a difficult time with that."

Donaldson said the country is seeing a spike in veteran suicides right now. There are theories that the exit from Afghanistan could be part of it. Veteran suicides fluctuate between 18 and 22 a day, depending on the year, he said.

Recent data from the VA data shows that 6,146 veterans died by suicide in 2020. Adjusting for sex and age, the rate of veteran suicide was 57% higher for veterans than nonveteran adults. Suicide rates among active-duty service members have been higher as well, Donaldson said.

"There are a lot of things that play a role in this," Donaldson said. "It's how you process this stuff, or if you don't find therapies to help you deal with this stuff, it becomes overwhelming. Because you've already been exposed to that kind of environment, it's not that big a step for some people to take that extra step to try to relieve the pain."

Donaldson said the reality is that suicide doesn't relieve the pain — it actually spreads the pain to their community of family and friends. On average, every veteran suicide affects 135 people. These are people who are left wondering what they could have done different, a feeling with which Donaldson said he is all too familiar.

"Mending the Line" is currently running at Bookhouse Cinema for free admission at the door. However, to save a seat, for example for a large group, Crane recommends buying a ticket online to reserve a spot. The reservation cost is $1 per ticket. The movie runs through next Thursday, and the Bookhouse website has information for show times.