DARE COUNTY, N.C. – The Dare County Arts Council is accepting applications for their 2016 Outer Banks Veterans Writing Project.
The workshop will be held for the fourth consecutive year on November 5 and 6 at the UNC Coastal Studies Institute on Roanoke Island.
It’s modeled after the Veterans Writing Project in Washington, D.C., a non-profit foundation that teaches veterans to express their experiences in the military through writing.
The Dare County Arts Council is encouraging all former and current service men and woman in North Carolina, Virginia and surrounding areas to submit applications.
“We, as Veterans, often have experiences that we need to express. This Workshop teaches us to take those events and build them into a story. History has taught us that the best way to overcome Post Traumatic Stress is to talk about our experiences. I don’t call it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There is no disorder, they’ve just been exposed to more stress than most people. This Workshop teaches us how to relieve that stress,” said Army Veteran and Dare County Arts Council Board Member Kelli Harmon.
Air Force Chief Master Sergeant James Matthews will lead the workshop.
“Veterans are often in a unique position to develop compelling stories that not only speak to the human condition, but advance the Nation’s literary achievements. Our goal is ultimately to inspire and encourage veteran-writers — whether they are just beginning to recon the writing path or are simply looking to expand the literary tools in their arsenals,” said Matthews.
Twenty-five applicants will be chosen for the workshop, which is sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau during November’s Outer Banks Veterans Week.
For more information or to submit an online application for the Veterans Writing Project, visit VeteransWeekOBX.com, DareArts.org or call (252) 473-5558.
