SCRANTON, Pa. — Valhalla Veterans Services is investing in the outside of their building to keep their mission alive- helping the men and women who have served in the military who may be struggling.
“If you're brave enough to walk into danger, you should be brave enough to ask for help. So our focus is on suicide, on mental health for that warrior crowd,” said Eric Darling, Valhalla Veterans Services Executive Director.
Before Eric Darling became a counselor for Valhalla, he served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
He tells us the toughest battle he's fought is watching his fellow soldiers combat suicide.
“I've stopped counting, to be quite honest with you, but I lost about 10 of my fellow soldiers to suicide, people that were personal to me,” Darling added.
That's why he and Army veteran Jim McElroy are taking the lead to support veterans and first responders in Lackawanna County.
“My time in the army has been good to me, and again it's a part of my life that I want to give back,” McElroy said.
Even the ones who don't think they need help.
“We try to be a one-stop shop where we address alcoholism and abuse here with our AA, and we're also involved with treatment courts in Lackawanna County,” added McElroy.
Those support groups and counseling are free for veterans thanks to generous donations and some fundraisers, like a military ball.
Valhalla's Fall Ball is set for November 4, and the group isn't just helping veterans.
They've partnered with Bread Basket of NEPA to hand out food every week at their building along Jackson Street in Scranton.
But with more people in need of assistance, they need help stocking the shelves.
Crews will be out from now until the holidays, collecting non-perishable food items.
For the crew at Valhalla, a hero isn't measured in just years of service but in saying yes to improving their well-being while helping their community.
“If we admit that we are struggling with something like suicide, or anger or any of these other issues that we're weak, but the reality is, it takes more bravery to ask for help than most anything we ever did in combat,” Darling explained.
The group does not only help veterans. There are free services available to first responders as well.
You can contact Valhalla Veterans Services to find out where they will be collecting food for the drive.