I want to thank the Mountain Xpress for highlighting multiple resources in Asheville that are available to veterans on their healing journeys [“Coming Home: Local Veterans Find Healing in Surprising Places,” Oct. 7]. The traumas of military service often produce compounded challenges that can impact a veteran for the rest of their lives. We are fortunate to live in a community where there are such outstanding organizations that offer alternatives and complementary options to address veterans’ physical and psychological traumas.
I was, however, disappointed to not see mention of Helios Warriors, a local nonprofit that offers holistic therapies to veterans impacted by military trauma. Helios Warriors has become a cornerstone in the veteran community, offering veterans over 13 types of holistic healing therapies (including reiki, craniosacral [therapy], massage and acupuncture). As a volunteer practitioner, I have seen firsthand the transformative results of working with veterans in a holistic manner in an environment that fosters community and a sense of safety and belonging.
Along with the other organizations featured in your article, Helios Warriors helps ensure that the veterans of Asheville, Western North Carolina and beyond have another source of hope and light in their lives. We wanted you, and your readers, to be aware of this additional resource for veterans in our community.
— Rachel Durchslag
Asheville
Editor’s note: Thank you, Rachel, for pointing out the work of Helios Warriors. They, along with many other local nonprofits, work to improve the quality of life for the men and women who have served this country in the military. Both Helios Warriors and Heart of Horse Sense (a big part of the “Coming Home” article you referred to) are participating in Xpress‘ new Give!Local effort. Give!Local will launch at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 at a free-for-everyone kickoff party at The Orange Peel. The effort runs through the end of the year. The goal is to make it easy, fun and rewarding to find and fund local nonprofits like Helios Warriors. We hope to see you and all your friends at the party, and we invite everyone to contribute through Give!Local to the amazing work the 30 participating nonprofits are doing. The givelocalguide.org website goes live Nov. 1.
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