Holistic Outreach for Veterans

10/15/2025

🇺🇸 Veterans & Spouses – October & November Events + Ways to Support Our Troops! 🎖️

We’ve got a full calendar and some great opportunities to give back. Mark your calendars and join us!

🌿 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑯𝑶𝑽 – 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑽𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔
📍 Salon DeShano – 6:30 PM
Free services, connection, and a welcoming space for healing and calm.
🗓 Upcoming Dates:
• October 27, 2025
• November 24, 2025
• December 22, 2025
📲 Email us if you'd like to volunteer, support us, or have a item you'd like us to share: Holisticoutreachforveterans@yahoo.com

🍳 𝑽𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝑾𝒂𝒉𝒐𝒐 𝑩𝑩𝑸
📅 Saturday, October 25, 2025
🕗 Arrive early – official start at 0830 (doors open at 0800)
💵 $12 cash for breakfast | $5 annual dues (see Carrol Kinsey)

🎤 Guest Speaker: Lauren Sheridan, candidate for Fluvanna County Comptroller, will speak on the role and her qualifications.

🇺🇸 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲
📅 Tuesday, November 11, 2025
🕚 11:00 AM
📍 Fork Union Military Academy
🚗 Carpool from Salon DeShano at 10:15 AM
Email us if you'd like to drive/carpool:
Holisticoutreachforveterans@yahoo.com

🎁 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫 – 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐮𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 & 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬
Help us send care and comfort to troops at Camp Buehring, Kuwait and local veterans.
🛍️ Wish List Includes:
• Liquid IV/electrolyte packets
• Snacks (chips, cookies, candy, trail mix, jerky, crackers, etc.)
• Laundry pods
• Travel-size hair gel
• Tweezers
• Drawstring cloth bags
• Sunglasses
• Ground coffee & liquid creamer
• Alcohol-free body spray
• Command Strips
• Band-aids
• Gingerbread house kits
• Painting supplies (acrylic paint, brushes, 5x7 canvases)
📦 Deadline: November 14, 2025

📞 Contact Patti Wilson: 434-996-8618 or patti.wilson@redcross.org or bring items to the Monday Oct. 27, 2025 HOV for collection.

🍬 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 – 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲!
Please donate your leftover candy to the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces team.
We’ll share it with service members serving in Virginia and overseas.
Everyone deserves a treat!
📞 Contact Patti Wilson: 434-996-8618 or patti.wilson@redcross.org

💙 Thank you for being part of this amazing community. Whether you’re attending, donating, or sharing—your support makes a difference!

09/19/2025

Worth Sharing

Today, September 19, 2025 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Below is a short history of the day. Please take time to honor these brave individuals and their families. At 1000 EST, Secretary Hegseth will host a ceremony in the Pentagon to remember the day. I suspect one can find the ceremony somewhere on the internet.
"As the Vietnam conflict drew to a close, some 2,500 American service members remained unaccounted for.
This situation was unacceptable to many, and family members of those who died or were missing began to organize on behalf of POW/MIAs, including Sybil Stockdale, wife of Navy pilot and POW James Stockdale.
In 1970, she and other military spouses created the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia.
The League’s advocacy, which included promoting what we know today as the POW/MIA flag, raised national awareness and pressured lawmakers in Washington. The campaign worked.
The First POW/MIA Day
In 1979, Congress passed Senate Joint Resolution 51, which became Public Law 96-36, authorizing the President to proclaim a national day of recognition. President Jimmy Carter issued the first one in the form of Proclamation 4677, designating July 18, 1979, as the first National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
The event would not have a designated day until 1986, when it was formally assigned to be observed on the third Friday in September. Today, that is the official time to honor the sacrifices made by POWs and MIAs."
Sadly, this date is losing the visibility it once had. When I joined the US Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii in 1985, this issue was, as President Reagan called it, an issue of the highest national priority. We were only 10 years away from the end of the Vietnam War, and the families of the missing were aggressively seeking answers for accountability. The following is his radio address in July 1986. I had just returned from leading the second recovery mission into Laos. There was no greater friend to the families than President

ONE TEAM!
Paul

09/14/2025

09/14/2025

HOV Anniversary Jenga!

Kim and Don battled it out!@

09/05/2025

📣 Mark Your Calendars!

Just a friendly reminder — the monthly Veteran breakfast at Wahoo BBQ this month has a special guest: John Reid, Republican candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia!

🗓 Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
⏰ Time: Come early to grab a seat! Official start is at 8:30 AM (doors open at 8:00)
📍 Location: Wahoo BBQ
💵 Cost: $12 cash for breakfast
📝 Annual Dues: $5 — you can sign up at the breakfast (see Carrol Kinsey)

We’re hoping for a great turnout, so bring a friend and come hungry! Donations to support our group’s administrative costs and future contributions are welcome — checks accepted and tax deductible.

No need to RSVP — just show up!

08/22/2025

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVHA/bulletins/3eedd3c

Colorectal cancer didn’t stop this Veteran Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 08/21/2025 05:30 PM EDT View as a webpage Veterans Health Care August 21, 2025 Colorectal cancer didn’t stop this Veteran Navy Veteran Sam Stornelli's life took an unexpected turn when he was diagnose...

08/21/2025

𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝. She kindly mailed me a paperback copy of her book, and there is also a Volume II https://a.co/d/iz3oNQh

I believe every veteran—male or female, from all backgrounds and ethnicities—should read it to hear firsthand the contributions of women in the military. These stories span not only recent times but also reflect the vital roles women have played since the formation of this country, and likely even before that. Despite their service, women have often gone unrecognized and underappreciated.

As a woman, I could write a chapter myself—starting with a recruiter who tried to take advantage of me, the catcalling, and the constant need to go above and beyond to prove my worth in the unit I served in.

Still, despite all of that, I am proud of my service. I sometimes discount it because I was “only” a reservist, but I made the most of every opportunity. I went to San Diego every chance I got during those six years to receive as much hands-on training as possible.

Being a woman in the military is not easy. I saw many young mothers who enlisted seeking a better life—some already mothers, others who became mothers during their service. Their bravery, courage, tenacity, and perseverance in navigating a system designed to make fighters of us all is nothing short of impressive.

Please consider ordering Volume I on Kindle, or reach out to me if you’d like me to help you get a paperback copy. And don’t forget to order Volume II—I already have!

VOL. II – From TRIALS to TRIUMPHS – UNTOLD STORIES OF OUR MILITARY WOMEN These are the untold stories of our military women who are serving and have served our nation and the stories of their spouses, parents, siblings, caregivers, survivors, and communities that are serving and have served a...

08/21/2025

Calling All Veterans, Spouses & Caregivers! 🌟

We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Holistic Outreach Events — a chance to relax, connect, and enjoy FREE services in a welcoming space at Salon DeShano!

🗓 Monday Night HOV Nights @ 6:30 PM 📍 Salon DeShano
Upcoming Dates:
• August 25, 2025
• September 22, 2025
• October 27, 2025
• November 24, 2025
• December 22, 2025

👉 Find all events here: facebook.com/HolisticOutreachForVeterans/events

🎖️ Save the Date: Veterans Day Ceremony at FUMA
📅 November 11, 2025 | 🕚 11:00 AM
📍 Fork Union Military Academy
Join us for a moving ceremony and a delicious lunch with cadets and instructors. More details coming soon!

🤝 Volunteer & Board Member Opportunities
We’re growing and looking for passionate people to join us!
Do you or someone you know have skills in:
• Recruitment
• Marketing
• Financial Strategy
• Or simply a heart for helping others?

We have 2 board positions open and meet bi-monthly on the first Monday at 6:30 PM. Let’s make a difference together!

🌐 Coming Soon: Our New Website!
We’re working hard to launch before the end of the year. Stay tuned!

🙏 Thank you to all our volunteers, board members, and veterans who make these events possible. We’re honored to serve and grow with you.

💙 The HOV Team

Holistic practitioners offer FREE services, including massage, Reiki, and Acudetox, to veterans, their spouses, and caregivers on the 4th Monday of each month from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at SALON DeSHANO in Palmyra.

07/29/2025

🎉 Happy 6th Anniversary, HOV! 🎉

A heartfelt thank you to Mission BBQ for the amazing meal, and to Jeff and Jaqui DeShano for opening up SALON DeSHANO to us tonight—and every 4th Monday of the month!

This milestone is a testament to Kim Munson’s powerful vision to support others, especially veterans like her son, Kile—her “why” and inspiration behind it all. 💙

Here’s to many more years of impact, community, and connection. 🥂

07/11/2025

Thanks for a great article, Tricia Callahan and Lake Monticello News!!

A great big thank you to everyone who has made HOV possible for 6 years!!

Munson’s Holistic Outreach for Veterans Celebrating Sixth Anniversary

Laker Kim Munson created Holistic Outreach for Veterans (HOV), a free-of-charge mindfulness and holistic health organization to help alleviate stress for the Lake area’s veterans and their spouses/caretakers, six years ago this month.

In that time, she has brought together a group of local practitioners who volunteer once a month to help any veteran or spouse/caretaker who wishes, as Munson said, “to be loved on a bit.” Typically, Reiki; Head, Scalp & Foot massage; and AcuDetox services are offered at no-cost for this community.

Munson’s son is a Marine veteran who “came back from a tour in Afghanistan not the same.” She has seen how the effects of battle affect the minds and bodies of veterans, and she started HOV as a way to help. In offering HOV’s services to others, she says, “I’ve found my purpose.”

Munson said “we could all use more relaxation in our modern, stressful world. HOV is a place where veterans can take a break and enjoy. There’s no judgement – or need for them to feel that they are sick or need help - to become part of our community.”

There’s no registration or sign-up: if you are a veteran or military spouse/caretaker, meet Munson and her team at Salon DeShano from 6:30pm – 8:30pm on the fourth Monday of each month. Enjoy a mini-treatment, have a snack, and share your stories with other local veterans.

HOV offers a free Sound Bath event every Memorial Day weekend. The organization also recently hosted its Annual Sunset Boat Cruise, where boat owners volunteer to take service recipients around the Lake. That happens each June.

Munson said she’s immensely grateful to HOVs current board and volunteers, but is always on the lookout for new practitioners to join (especially massage therapists), and other volunteers to assist with social media, administrative and fundraising activities. There are additional calls for assistance for the special events held from time to time.

Whether you’re a veteran, a practitioner, or just someone who cares about the wellbeing of our veterans, please contact Kim Munson at holisticoutreachforveterans@yahoo.com or 434.249.1806. A website - holistic4veterans.org - will come online soon.

By Tricia Callahan