HYANNIS, MA — On Friday, November 11th from 11:30 am until 2:00 pm, all Cape and Islands community members are invited to attend the Fifth Annual Veterans Town Hall at Barnstable Town Hall, 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601.
Hosted by the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center, combat vets of any era are invited to stand before their community and speak for up to ten minutes about what it was like to serve their country. Non-veterans and students are also enthusiastically encouraged to attend and listen, and to provide support for our honored veterans.
This event is non-political, and all perspectives are valued. There will be no question-and answer period or debate on American foreign policy. Attendees will simply listen and learn about what it was like to serve in the wars that this nation has chosen to fight.
The first event of this kind took place in Marblehead, Massachusetts, in 2015, and was led by U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, a Marine combat veteran who served four tours in Iraq. Over the years, Veterans Town Hall has become a national opportunity that affords local communities with the chance to hear first-hand testimony about veterans and their military experiences.
As Congressman Moulton explained, “I came back home to a community that welcomed me with open arms, but also didn’t really understand what I’d been through and what support I needed. I don’t think you can really help someone until you can relate to that person. We all need to understand where veterans are coming from to better know what they need.”
The Barnstable Veterans Town Hall is free to attend, and a buffet luncheon will once again be served, courtesy of the Hyannis Elks. Veterans who would like to speak can indicate that when registering to attend the event. RSVPs and questions may be directed to Barbara-Anne Foley, Outreach and Programs Manager at the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center, at bafoley@capeveterans.com.
The first Veteran’s Town Halls were the brainchild of author Sebastian Junger (War, Tribe), and were started with the goal of increasing communication and understanding between veterans and civilians in their communities. When he originally shared the idea, his hope was that the events would “return the experience of war to our entire nation, rather than just leaving it to those who fought.”
- What: The 5th Annual Veterans Town Hall, hosted by the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center: The event provides a community forum which aims to increase communication and understanding between local veterans and the community in which they live.
- When: Friday, November 11th, 2021 from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm
- Where: Barnstable Town Hall, 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601
- For More Info: Contact Barbara-Anne Foley, by email at bafoley@capeveterans.com