PEQUOT LION PROGRAM HELPS RETURNING VETS AND FAMILIES

Pequot Lakes Lion Bruce Billington started Project New Hope recently, a program to help returning combat veterans and their families get life back to what it was before their military experience. Billington said families are invited to spend a weekend at one of three camps in Minnesota to talk to counselors, other combat vets with similar experience or just to chill out and go fishing with the kids. Billington said after the retreat, members of Project New Hope keep in contact with the veterans and military families, to finetune the program. Lion Billington said something he's heard more than once is that its nice to know other military families are having the same issues, the same hurdles that they're experiencing. Pequot Lakes Lions are selling wristbands emblazoned with the words "Project New Hope" to raise money for camp expenses. Billington said there is no charge to military families and the exercise is all-volunteer. Bruce said program organizers are looking for Vietnam Vets and combat vets from other wars willing to share their experiences. Contact him through the program's website, info@projectnewhope.net.