Lake County foundation helps veterans adjust back to civilian life after serving in combat zones

ZONES OVERSEAS? SOMETIMES HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME READJUSTING TO CIVILIAN LIFE WHEN THEY COME BACK TO THE U.S.? SHELDON LUTSK IS JOINING US NOW. AND SHELDON, THIS WEEK’S COMMUNITY CHAMPION WANTS TO MAKE SURE THESE VETERANS THRIVE. OH, YEAH. MICHAEL’S FOUNDATION IS A NONPROFIT IN LAKE COUNTY THAT WORKS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO VETERANS IN OUR AREA. JUST DOWN THIS GRAVEL DIRT ROAD NESTLED BETWEEN LAKE NELLY AND LITTLE LAKE NELLIE IN CLERMONT, THERE’S A PEACEFUL OASIS NOT JUST FOR THE HORSES. BUT ALSO THE HUMANS WHO WORK WITH THEM BECAUSE A HORSE THEY BREED YOUR HEART, THEY READ YOUR EMOTIONS, THEY MEET YOU WITH THE ENERGY YOU PRESENT TO THEM. IT’S A GIVE AND TAKE RELATIONSHIP THAT’S HELPING VETERANS LIKE MARSHALL DELONG. I’M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THE FRIENDS I’VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE HERE. MARSHALL SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, INCLUDING TWO COMBAT TOURS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. HE’S WORKING WITH THESE HORSES AND RECEIVING OTHER ENCOURAGEMENT THROUGH THE NONPROFIT MICHAEL’S FOUNDATION. SINCE LEAVING THE MILITARY, I’VE JUST FOUND MYSELF A STRUGGLING TO FIND MY WAY AGAIN. UH, FEELING LOST AND UNBALANCED, THE MILITARY TRAINED US TO DO A LOT OF THINGS. BUT ONE THING IT DOESN’T REALLY PREPARE US FOR IS REINTEGRATING BACK INTO SOCIETY. IT’S SOMETHING THE FOUNDATION NAMESAKE, MICHAEL TITUS, ALSO STRUGGLED WITH AFTER SERVING FOUR TOURS IN AFGHANISTAN. I HAD PRETTY SEVERE PTSD. HE WENT THROUGH THE VA AND THROUGH SEVERAL CHANNELS OF HELP AND CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE. AND SO THAT RESULTED IN HIM TAKING HIS OWN LIFE. SADLY, EILEEN TITUS IS MARRIED TO MICHAEL’S BROTHER AND IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE FOUNDATION. SHE SAYS MICHAEL’S PARENTS CREATED THE FOUNDATION SO NO OTHER FAMILY OR VETERAN FEELS ISOLATED. WE’RE GOING TO DO WHAT MICHAEL’S DREAM WAS AND THAT IS TO PROVIDE THESE FREE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR VETERANS TO HELP THEM AND SUPPORT THEM WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO ASK FOR HELP. AND THAT SUPPORT INCLUDES HORSE ASSISTED LEARNING, HOSTING, FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS, CONNECTING THE VETERANS TO HELPFUL RESOURCES, AND PROVIDING THEM WITH A SENSE OF BELONGING THAT HAS HELPED ED DIAZ. IF YOU EVER TALK TO A VETERAN, WHAT DO THEY MISS? IS THE BROTHERHOOD, THE COMMUNITY? SO IT’S DIFFERENT WHEN YOU’RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH. I DARE SAY THAT THIS FOUNDATION HELPED SAVE MY LIFE. IT’S DEFINITELY, UH, HELPED SAVE MY MARRIAGE FROM THE STAFF TO THE VOLUNTEERS, IT IS A DEEPLY PERSONAL MISSION. I ENJOY HELPING PEOPLE AND THE FACT THAT INVOLVES VETERANS IS A MAJOR, UH, POINT OF MINE. IT’S PRETTY COMMON TO FEEL LIKE YOU DON’T NEED THE HELP. UM, SO IT TOOK IT TOOK ME GETTING, LIKE, PRETTY BAD. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR HELP SOONER, YOU KNOW, SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND GO GET HELP AS SOON AS YOU THINK YOU NEED IT. AND JOINING US HERE IN THE STUDIO THIS MORNING IS THE CEO OF MICHAEL’S FOUNDATION, MARK MILLER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. WE APPRECIATE IT. OH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. WE JUST HEARD FROM ED DIAZ AND THAT STORY. HE’S A VETERAN. HE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND HE TALKED ABOUT THAT COMMUNITY AMONG THE VETERANS. AND SOMETIMES IT’S NICE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO JUST GET IT AND THEY UNDERSTAND IT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THE FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT COMMUNITY? AND THESE RESOURCES? WELL, WELL, OF COURSE, WE LOST SOMEBODY VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO US. SO WE CAN GIVE BACK TO HIM IN THIS WAY. SO IT’S VERY, VERY PERSONAL TO ALL OF US. I’VE KNOWN MICHAEL SINCE I KNEW MICHAEL FROM WHEN HE WAS TWO YEARS OLD, AND WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM THE MILITARY, HE CAME TO THE FARM AND WE DID HIM A LOT OF GOOD. BUT THEN HE GOT ISOLATED AGAIN, AND THINGS HAPPENED. ALL RIGHT. WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THE STORY AIRED AND JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL AND PEACEFUL IT IS OUT THERE AT THE FARM. TELL US ABOUT ITS LOCATION. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT AND ABOUT IN LAKE COUNTY. SURE. IT’S BETWEEN LAKE NELLIE AND LITTLE LAKE NELLIE ON LAKE SHORE DRIVE. IT’S NEAR THE END OF LAKE SHORE DRIVE, AND IT IS JUST A SPECIAL, SPECIAL PLACE. YOU CAN SEE BOTH LAKES AND IT JUST HAS A CALMNESS THAT HELPS EVERYBODY. IT SURE DOES. IT’S VERY PEACEFUL JUST BEING OUT THERE. I LOVED THE TIME THAT WE SPENT WORKING ON THE STORY OUT THERE. ARE THERE ANY UPCOMING EVENTS? IF ANYONE WANTS TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE, GET INVOLVED. YES. THIS SATURDAY FROM 11 TO 4 WE HAVE A RESOURCE FAIR WHERE WE HAVE MORE THAN 20 PARTNERS WHO ALSO, UH, PROVIDE HELP TO VETERANS FREE. EVERYTHING’S ALWAYS FREE WITH US. WE ALWAYS FEED OUR VETERANS AND EVERYONE LIKES TO EAT, SO THAT’S GOOD. YEAH. AND WE ALSO WE ALSO INVITE ALL MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS FAMILY. OKAY, I CAN’T IMAGINE. I’M SURE I’VE HEARD HORROR STORIES ABOUT PAPERWORK AND ALL THE STUFF THAT HAS TO GET FILLED OUT. SO IT’S GREAT TO HAVE THAT RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO THE VETERANS SO THAT THEY HAVE THAT HELP WHEN THEY NEED IT. AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LEARN ANY MORE INFORMATION, WHAT’S THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM TO GO? UM, MICHAEL’S DASH FOUNDATION DOT ORG. ALL RIGHT, MR. MILLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING.