VA Medical Center celebrates anniversary of veterans coffee hour

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. (WCAX) - A special weekly coffee hour in the Upper Valley celebrated a milestone on Wednesday.

The weekly coffee social at the VA Medical Center in Vermont toasted its first anniversary Wednesday morning.

The coffee group is a chance for veterans of all branches to get together to talk. It was started to help combat loneliness among vets and takes place in the VA cafeteria. Social workers say the nonclinical setting is on purpose.

“Make it not intimidating because not many people maybe want necessarily a clinical setting, just a place where they can make friends by building connections that maybe they didn’t have before,” said Alejandra St. Germaine, a social worker at the VA Medical Center.

“It is seeing people week after week and having a connection that is really important. And the other thing I should mention is I live alone,” said James Hunt, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The coffee hour is every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Any veteran is welcome to attend. Sometimes spouses and friends show up, as well.

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