Veterans' Voices: Creatively serving others through crafts
Doing crafts is something that helped a Southland veteran get through some tough times as a child. Now he's using the same approach to help himself and fellow veterans.
He's running a weekly craft program -- but it's more than just the items they make -- it's about time spent with others.
Patrick Doran joined the Army so he could serve. He signed up while still in high school. After three and a half years he was discharged, and life took some turns.
He became homeless.
"I started living in my van. Had a safe place to park it and everything else, so when someone told me 'Check with the Salvation Army, they kind of help things out.' So I did, and that's where I got started with the Salvation Army," said Doran.
Soon Doran, an avid crafter, was asked to teach crafts in the community room at the Salvation Army-supported housing complex called Bell Oasis.
"It's arts, crafts and games. I brought in a bunch of games for people to play, and it worked out from there," said Doran. "Every now and then I get somebody that wants to come in and gets interested, and I try to keep a variety of different types of materials, such as leather work, jewelry work, beading, we have woodworking. We have plastic models. It's pretty much, if you have an interest, I'll get what's needed."
Each Thursday morning for the past four years, between eight and 15 people join in on the crafts.
"It's a little about the craft but it's also about people trying to get together and talk," said Doran. "I told them, you don't have to do a craft to be here, if you want to just sit and talk with each other, talk with each other. Make friends."
Doran says he knows all too well how important the activity and the interaction is.
"I find that if I'm sitting doing nothing, my mind starts to wander into places it doesn't need to go," said Doran.
Especially for some of our veterans who have seen and experienced so much.
"It takes the mind away from the troubles and puts it on what you're doing," said Doran. "Same thing with Lego-building. Takes my mind off all my troubles and all I'm concentrating on is how to put this together."
Patrick Doran says he's happy he's found another way to serve -- especially his fellow veterans.
If you are a veteran, or know of a veteran, who has an interesting story, or needs help, we want to hear from you. Email KCAL News at VeteransVoices@kclanews.com.