Do you know someone who has served in the war? Come back with physical and emotional disabilities? Even someone who has died in war?
The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center is the place to go. Or at least it was. The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center was a place for veterans and their families to go, to get away from their everyday lives, to do something to keep their minds off of everyday things. The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center closed at the beginning of July. “It was an incredible place, changing Veterans lives for the better,” Anna says, “ They were doing amazing things.” The Veterans Therapeutic Art Center was located in Plymouth, Indiana in the old Fire Station. 
Also known as VTAC, the Veterans Therapeutic Art Center really was a special place. It was started by two men, Richard and Larry. Larry had been serving in Iraq and came back a very depressed man. Larry never left his house and came close to committing suicide. After many months of this, Richard decided he needed to do something. Richard went over to his house almost every day. Sometimes he made Larry get up and do something, but most of the time, Richard just sat there and chatted with him. They talked about everything under the moon, except for the war. Eventually, Richard was able to get Larry out of the house. They went to a workshop and built a lot of different things, some of their work was displayed in the studio. After a while of doing this, Larry started to feel better. One day he expressed his thanks to Richard by saying, “This has helped me a lot, I just feel we need to do this for other people.” And thus, VTAC began.
After VTAC began, they were provided space at Ancilla college. The nuns were very helpful to their process. A few months before they announced their closure, the town of Plymouth had granted them the old Plymouth fire station. When they announced their closure, they were close to having the place off and running. They had a $50,000 donation to start their remodels, and once they started getting settled, they were given another $50,000! They used this money to convert the fire station into a rec center. On the main floor, which was where you entered, there were many offices, a small conference area, and a huge portrait showing the circle of life. This portrait was very special to the men working there, because it was made by the Ancilla nuns. Upstairs was where the studios were. After getting off the elevator, you walk right into the art and pottery studio. If you continue further into the building, there were both a music and photography studio, with very state-of-the-art furnishings.
“It really is a shame that this place has closed. I walked right into that place and was instantly touched. I can’t imagine what it would do for a veteran. This was a special place that did a lot for people. It was filled with wonderful people that were more than willing to help.” These veterans risk their all for you, coming back in need of help. We have the power to help them. Are you going to?