CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — Veterans of all ages are invited to the Coastal Bend Veteran Stand Down.
The local non-profit organization, Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 598 is hosting the event for its second time. It's on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Lazy Beach Brewing, located on 7522 Bichon Dr. #100. Starting at 11 a.m. there will be information booths and vendors showing off the unique services that could benefit former military members and their families.
A healers personal touch
Hands of Grace Massage Therapy one of many business that is participating in the event. Deborah Castillo opened up shop in Corpus Christi in 2021 and has been in the business of healing for about 23 years.
"I've been doing light therapy, chiropractic, stretching, muscle work." she said.
Wounds, scars, and pain are factors of the military that many veterans are too familiar with.
The affects of those elements are also the reason why Castillo focuses on providing relief for those who have served. Her family's military background might also make her the perfect person to provide care for veterans.
"Starting with my great grand uncle, all of my family has served in some branch," she said. "I have a lot of pride and honor from the men in my family and in that I have been able to see it's not the same when they come back. Their bodies are not the same. Their minds are not the same. How they interact with people is not the same. It all takes a toll on them."
Her compassion turned into a passion and it's what pushed her to expand her Corpus Christi- based business to Ingleside.
"I'm really glad that I did it because there is a lot of people who didn't know about massage therapy and they didn't know they could be serviced." she said. "It's an honor to be able to help them. When they walk in my room and then I see when they come out and they're released, like, relieved and the smiles on their faces, because they're not in pain. It's a blessing."
Hands of Grace also provides services for the general public, call (361) 334-1073for more information.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, clinical massage therapy is one of the evidence-based, complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches within the VHA Whole Health System of care covered by the Veterans medical benefits package when deemed clinically necessary by their care team per VA Directive 1137 — Provision of Complementary and Integrative Health (recertified December 2022).
VHA established the profession of Massage Therapy to be covered under 38 U.S.C. §7401(3) and associated qualification standards for Massage Therapists to be able to provide this service.
Other booths that will participate in the Coastal Bend Veteran Stand Down include:
- Endevours
- MHID community relations
- CrashBell
- Mission22
- Vet Center
- T-Mobile
- American Overland
Vendors interested in participating can reach out to moph598@gmail.com. Tables are free.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Lorenzo at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
