Jackson County Veterans Day Parade

The Jackson County Veterans Office held a Veterans Day parade on Nov. 11 in downtown Sylva. The cloudy skies did little to deter over 100 locals as they lined the streets to cheer on their hometown heroes. Sheila Setzer, the director of the Jackson County Veterans Office, started the Veterans Day Parade in 2015, which […]

Veterans Day lunch highlights the importance of camaraderie for WCU’s veterans

Story co-produced by Mackenzie Atkinson The WCU Office of Student Military Services celebrated Veterans Day by hosting a lunch in the Cardinal room of the University Center on Friday, Nov. 9. Over 30 WCU students and staff from all branches of the military attended the lunch.  Not many know what it is like to have […]

Jerry Wolfe: WWII veteran and Cherokee’s “Beloved Man”

For approximately the last 20 years, Eastern Band Cherokee Indian elder Jerry Wolfe, 93, has been working as a volunteer at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian greeting tourists and other visitors at the ticket counter with a “Siyo” meaning “Hello.” In an effort to preserve his traditions, Wolfe openly shares his Cherokee heritage to […]

Students honor veterans in candlelight service

President Truman once said, “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude.” WCU students showed their undying gratitude in a candlelight service where they could personalize a paper bag, fill it with sand, place a candle inside and […]

Unseen Scars: The battle against PTSD

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to find it. But no matter how successful you get, it will always stay with you,” said marine veteran Erik Watkins. He was talking about PTSD. The National Center for PTSD says that a post-traumatic stress disorder begins when someone goes through, sees, or learns about a […]

Unseen Scars

Local veterans will host their first round table discussion on Veteran’s Day at 7 p.m. featuring members from the Vet to Vet program. The program aids local veterans of all ages and genders to talk about traumatic experiences they may have encountered while in combat. Founders Darwin Thomas and Tom Baker started the program together when […]