In this heartfelt episode of Baskis 360, host Steve Baskis welcomes two passionate advocates for veterans—April Heard and Amy Eifling—from the Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans in Montrose, Colorado. April, the Executive Director and an Army veteran, and Amy, the Volunteer Coordinator and a Marine Corps veteran, share deeply moving stories of community support, personal transformation, and the unique challenges faced by veterans returning to civilian life.

Listeners will hear powerful reflections on moral injury, military sexual trauma (MST), housing insecurity, and the impact of peer-to-peer camaraderie. From music therapy retreats that turn veterans' stories into songs to annual events like the Blue Jean Ball and Memorial Day cookouts, April and Amy illustrate how their nonprofit uplifts veterans through meaningful connections and tailored resources.

As a community-based organization unaffiliated with federal entities, the Welcome Home Alliance thrives thanks to the generosity and support of individuals who care. To learn more about their programs or to get involved, visit their website at https://www.whafv.org. If this episode inspires you to support their mission, consider making a contribution at https://www.whafv.org/donate.html

Whether you're a veteran, a family member, or a community supporter, this conversation reminds us of the healing power of empathy, music, and volunteerism—and the difference a dedicated team can make.

In this special episode of the Baskis 360 Podcast, host Steve Baskis sits down with Les Williams and Jay Bob Bruce, two key leaders behind the Montrose Veterans Memorial Coalition (MVMC). They discuss the vision behind the Montrose Veterans Memorial, the progress made so far, and the challenges of bringing this lasting tribute to life.

The memorial will feature laser-engraved granite panels depicting military history from World War I through the Global War on Terror, creating a space for reflection, remembrance, and education. Les and Jay Bob share details about the new memorial location, the construction timeline, and how the local community, businesses, and donors can contribute to the project.

How You Can Support the Memorial:

• Donate or purchase a memorial brick to honor a veteran at MontroseVMC.us

• Contact MVMC for more information at (970) 765-2210

This episode highlights the emotional impact of building a veterans memorial and why it’s essential to preserve the stories of those who have served. Tune in to learn more about how you can get involved in making this tribute a reality.

Just a quick update for everyone. Happy New Year! Check out my personal blog if you get the chance. Find it at this link: https://baskis.com

Sometimes Steve creates demonstrations for blind or visually impaired individuals. This episode features Steve describing how a blind user can use Pro Tools to record midi drums. Steve goes over creating an instrument track, loading a virtual instrument, recording a simple rock drum beat, editing & navigating midi notes, selecting & splitting midi notes and finally quantization. Visit Baskis.com and fill out the contact form to get in touch with Steve Baskis if you have further questions.

Steve explains in more detail, how a blind or visually impaired individual scans physical mail.

A B360 Access Production...

The audio in this episode is connected to an article you will find on my personal website.

Have you ever wondered how a blind person can read mail. Well, in this episode I explained how ideal with physical mail and how I use technology to live an independent life. Check out the article I wrote on my blog at Baskis.com to learn even more.

Here's the link to my blog post:

https://www.stevebaskis.com/how-does-the-blind-deal-with-physical-mail/

#Baskis360 #AssistiveTechnology #B360Access

Steve Baskis, Nick Morris and Ali Shelley speak with Jeff Bornstein. Read more about Jeff below…

Jeff is a retired US Army, military intelligence, communication specialist who says the most intelligent thing he ever did was to marry his wife. His favorite hobby, he’s amateur radio (HAM) operator KM6OPI. After the Army he answered an ad in the newspaper for background actors for the movie "Rocky III". In 1989, he pursued one of his dreams - to become a Hollywood stuntman and to date, has been chased, beaten and shot at by the best. Jeff is an Award-Winning magician. In 1991 he became a performing member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood CA. In 2004, he was the only Comedy Magician invited to go overseas with five other comedians to entertain during Operation: Iraqi Freedom. They performed in five countries, 32 shows in 23 days! Today, he and his lovely wife perform for the USO, Corporate and High End Social Events, as well as producing their own military show, "Operation-Bravo", which entertains the U.S. Armed Forces both domestically and abroad. 

Nick Morris and Steve Baskis speak about their war injuries, recovery and rehabilitation. Steve asks questions about Knicks mental perspective before joining the military, while serving during war and after physical trauma. Questions are asked about whether resilience training should exist or be improved, as well as whether or not military personnel worry about being seriously wounded during combat operations. If you have anybody in mind for the show, please fill out the form at Baskis360.com