From September 25 to 27, a retreat for veterans and their families was held at the Yednist recreation area near Kovel. The participants were 17 families from the Kovel district and one family from the Kamin-Kashyr district. The first minutes were a bit tense, but they were quickly replaced by the sincere smiles of the volunteers, warm care, settlement, fragrant tea and delicacies.  

Retreat Program for Veterans and Their Families

The retreat combined rest, recovery, and genuine support.

The program included:

Clay and Art Therapy for Veterans

Creativity became an important part of the retreat, as it was through it that the veterans were able to gently and safely process their inner experiences.

Clay therapy helped me relieve tension, focus on the present moment, and express emotions without words. Sculpting gave me a sense of control and peace, and became a way to let go of anxiety and inner pain.

Art therapy opened a space for self-expression and emotional recovery. Through drawing and creative tasks, participants were able to experience difficult feelings, lift their spirits, and feel the support of a community.

Fishing and active games - quests, table tennis, intellectual games that united the participants.

Communication with the chaplain and counselors is a time for frank conversations about pain, experiences, and the search for new directions in life. Thematic meetings helped to better understand the role of husband and wife in the family, the causes of conflicts, and ways to overcome them, because a strong family is the foundation of a strong country.

Evenings by the fire are casual gatherings that bring people together, provide openness and genuine warmth, singing to the guitar, and team games.

A romantic evening is a special event for couples who reminisce about their feelings, date, and enjoy live music.

While the parents were able to spend time together, a separate program was organized for the children:

• drawing on mugs and socks,

• ball games, inflatable slides,

• watching a cartoon,

• attentive care of children of different ages by volunteers.

Care and Life

Thanks to a team of volunteer cooks, the wives were able to take a few days off from the daily grind of cooking and cleaning, focusing on their family and recovery.

The last evening by the fire - an evening of memories, impressions, feedback, expectations - reality. It is important for us that all participants are heard and feel the maximum of warmth, care and concern.

The NGO "Gesture of Help" sincerely thanks each family for their warmth, openness, and for taking advantage of the opportunity to recover, feel that they are not alone, and embark on life's journey with renewed strength.