Retired Army LTC builds chairs that tell Veterans’ stories
By JEFF LARRISON
Westfield Lions Club
On Feb. 1, Roy Adams spoke to the Westfield Lions Club about his program that builds handcrafted chairs for military veterans. It turns out the pieces of furniture are more than just a typical chair. These chairs contain digital technology that capture the stories of the veterans who sit on them.
Adams, U.S. Army LTC (Retired), came up with the idea after serving one of his combat tours in 2006-07 in the Middle East. In the evenings, after getting back to base from their missions, the soldiers would often sit around in a set of rocking chairs telling stories of their lives, creating a sort of therapeutic moment for the soldiers. Adams realized, after returning home, how much of an impact those evenings sitting in those chairs talking with fellow soldiers had on his life. Those memories gave him the idea of launching “Chairs of Honor.”
This project has expanded and grown to the point that Chairs of Honor is now national and utilizes several other Veterans to help build the chairs. In addition to building the chairs for Vets, Chairs of Honor also conducts four-day workshops to teach Veterans how to build furniture themselves. Adams says he sees this as something Veterans can learn to help take their minds off the trauma, they may have experienced serving our country.
Chairs of Honor is looking for financial support to help purchase the materials and cover costs of the workshops. Tax-deductible donations can be made to help support this creative and extremely worthwhile cause. To find out more about Chairs of Honor and how you can support the program, or even participate in the project, go to ChairsOfHonor.com.
The Westfield Lions Club has served the community since 1930 and is looking for men and women interested in helping make Westfield the best it can be. For more information on the Westfield Lions and how to become a member, go to WestfieldLions.org.