Sponsored by merchants…
in Clarksville, VA, LAKEFEST is a “happening”! Thirty-five to forty thousand people walked by the tents and tables of 150 venders, crafters, food merchants, and one old veteran author, lined up along the one main street of Clarksville. I feel blessed, the Clarksville Chamber of Commerce “adopted me” in 2019 and now 2021, to be one of the 150!
While hot and humid, the temperatures and humidity didn’t matter. People everywhere strolled by our table. We sold a lot of books and met a lot of people, eager to hear, why one old man and his silver-haired (and still pretty) wife, became authors at the age of 70some. “That’s amazing”, became a familiar frame. “You are donating your proceeds to veteran causes?”
“Yes, we don’t really need the money. It seems like the right thing to do for the privilege of writing combat survivor stories. After all, this is neither a burden nor a sacrifice; quite the contrary. It’s a privilege! As a veteran myself, the recognition rightfully deserves to flow to each of them, particularly those scarred by the trauma of combat. I enjoy the work. In fact, this beautiful hot day (96 degrees), is nothing compared to the heat and humidity of the middle-east desert.”
“God Bless you”, was a comment I heard several times. My respectful thought: no, God Bless the men and women in uniform, sweating through 100 plus degree temperatures, along with the stench of burnt, spent shells, explosive ordnances, fires, and OH YES, the carnage and suffering of combat.
I thanked each one. Told them, a portion of all profits will be given to a charity or non-profit benefiting veterans or their families.
Oh yes, and thanks to Lakefest officials and the Chamber for adopting us. Can we return next year?
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If you enjoyed this blog, please like and share it with your friends on social media to help spread the word about Combat Survivor Heroes. A portion of all book proceeds is donated to local veteran causes.
Jerry’s second book, So Help Me God is being reviewed and edited for a late fall publishing. His third book of combat stories is to be published in the late fall of 2022 and will be entitled: Stories from the ‘Bone: B1B bomber.
If you are interested in a signed copy of our first published book of combat survivor stories, When Heaven Visits: dramatic accounts of military heroes, you can click the link below. For a discount on your purchase, leave a review of the book on Amazon, take a screenshot of your review, and email it to combatsurvivorheroes@gmail.com.
Details of the two wonderful veteran causes we support can be found on the Resources page of the Combat Survivor Heroes website.
Above: Photo from Clarksville Lake County Chamber of Commerce during Lakefest.