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'Serving those who served our Country': Vets Garage gives Spokane veterans a chance to serve their community

Vets Garage has been helping Spokane area veterans and non-veterans become re-accustomed to civilian life through vocational training.

SPOKANE, Wash. — For ten years, a local non-profit has been helping veterans succeed in life outside of service.

Vets Garage has been helping Spokane area veterans and non-veterans become re-accustomed to civilian life by offering a variety of vocational and educational training opportunities. 

U.S. Army veteran Tzena Scarborough says the organization has changed her life for the better.

"I came down here and Doug is our teacher, and he's been teaching me for over a year. And I really love it. It has changed my life," Scarborough said. "It's got creative aspects that you can make snowmen and Christmas trees and bowls and all kinds of things. And I just, I look forward to my one day a week down here, I really, really enjoy it."

According to John Pollack, the technical director of Vets Garage, many veterans enjoy the process of working with tools, but don't have a place to do it.

"So, here we combine those interests and have a shop where folks that come in not just like just veterans, but mostly veterans come in and learn the tools, learn some skills, make some stuff, be creative." Pollack said. "We're doing a lot for the veterans, and we're helping out a lot of people."

Spokane Veterans' Therapeutic Court Judge Mary Logan sees the garage as a place where veterans can not only connect, but also serve their community.

"If somebody has maybe slightly messed up or they just lost their way a little bit, this helps them come and reconnect again and maybe find a place where they can do something that they really enjoy and that they wouldn't otherwise have the skills and or the equipment to do," Logan said.

Pollack added that veterans need "positive distracting activities" where they can use their senses on something that doesn't lead to stress.

"It just changed my outlook on life," Scarborough said. "I look at trees in a different way. I look at downed branches a different way and I have collected a lot of wood at home, so I'm going to have some wood eventually. It's a real hands on thing to be creative."

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