CLC hosts Veterans Creative Arts Festival March 5

More than 100 area military veterans will exhibit or perform their artistic or literary works at the annual Veterans Creative Art Festival.

The event, presented by the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, will take place from 1-3 p.m., Thursday, March 5, in the Room A011 Auditorium on the College of Lake County's Grayslake Campus.

The public is invited to watch the veteran contestants perform on stage.

Veterans will exhibit their art, share their written work, or perform musical, dance or dramatic selections. This marks the fifth year CLC has hosted the event, and it is the 13th year the VA Health Care System has held this competitive event across the region.

It culminates in a national variety show for gold medal winners across the country.

"Participation has tripled since CLC began hosting the event five years ago," said Joe Bochantin, CLC's veteran student services coordinator.

"In 2016, we had a little more than 50 pieces on display, and last year we had more than 150."

VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their recreation therapy programs to enhance rehabilitation.

"This annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy, and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our nation's veterans after disease, disability or life crisis," Bochantin said.

The art will be on display in Room A013 March 3-5.

Known for the support it provides to local veterans in Lake County, CLC received the Military Friendly Silver designation for the second consecutive year from Military Friendly Schools, a Pennsylvania-based magazine.

CLC's Veterans Lounge recently upgraded to a larger space on the Grayslake campus to Room C145. The lounge invites all veterans to retreat to a private space with free coffee, Wi-Fi and a desktop computer with internet access.

It's also a good spot to discover Veterans Student Services and the resources the department provides.

The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center is the nation's only fully integrated medical facility between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. Lovell FHCC serves active duty military personnel, their families, military retirees and veterans.

Lovell FHCC, which is in North Chicago, operates four Great Lakes Naval Station clinics and three community-based outpatient clinics in McHenry, Evanston and Kenosha, Wisconsin.

For more information about the College of Lake County, visit www.clcillinois.edu or call (847) 543-2000.