Foley Alabama veteran wins gold in national creative arts competition. Hodge will represent Alabama at Denver national festival

    FOLEY, AL, January 18, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Across the country each year, thousands of Veterans enrolled at VA health facilities compete in a local creative arts competition. The competition includes categories in the visual arts division that range from oil painting to leatherwork. In addition, there are categories in writing as well as the performing arts of dance, drama, and music. Local creative arts competition top winning entries advance to a national judging process and first, second and third place entries are determined at the national level. First place winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted by a different VA facility each year.

National competition results were announced last week. Hodge was among the First place winners at the national level of the competition and will be invited to attend the 43rd National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in the spring of 2024 in Denver, Colorado.

Hodge, a Service Dog handler and veterans advocate submitted poetry about the loss of his father who is succumbed to wounds suffered in Vietnam. Hodge, also a veteran from the Vietnam era is grateful. Such opportunities for expression exist within the VA system.

Hodge travel to country for 10 years with his dog, Gander, who was the subjective documentaries, books in the winner of awards from Congress, The American humane Association, the American Kennel Club, and others.

With over 500,000 on social media following us, it's been rewarding to do planned acts of community kindness for veterans and active duty military. All of his creative work benefits Operation Fetch and he hopes that this award will bring further awareness to service dogs, Service Dog access, PTSD in the need to help our nations heroes, who are still fighting, homefront wars.

"Military service, and the support and sacrifice provided by dependent families, both of which I know well, deserve respect and consideration.

Hodge, an "Army Native" born in Colorado, moved to the area about three years ago after giving a seminar for Police, hospitality and community members in Orange Beach and falling in love with the area and the woman he married here last September.

Hodge it's being recognized for his poem, "From the Shore". Yes other work is appeared in publications and anthologies nationwide. Is the author of a book of poetry, a pictorial collection and has held fellowships with the NEA/National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas commission on arts and humanities , the Millay colony for the arts, the Grand Marais colony for the arts and others. He holds a master of fine arts in poetry from Vermont college.

Operation Fetch is a 501 C3 charity that does work with Veterans in need across the country. Fetch is an all volunteer team that has have raised and dispersed over $3 million for adaptive equipment, service dogs, survival bags and temporary shelter for homeless veterans and educational workshops for Police, community groups, colleges, and schools across the country.

Related Link:
http://operationfetch.org/media

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