By Kris Leonhardt

Editor

STRATFORD — Employees at A&B Process Systems, Stratford, recently made a large donation to the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King as part of developing a day room to provide therapy for patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The donation came as part of an ongoing competition among the employees at A&B Process.

“It’s a series. We’ve been doing this in the community for five years,” said Jon Stangl, A&B project coordinator.

“We started with a food drive one year, and it just blew up,” added Denise O’Shaughnessy, A&B material coordinator.

The food drive grew into the “Helping” Competition, which divided the plant into four separate groups competing for a traveling trophy. The food drive remains constant over the holiday season each year, but the staff adjusts other campaigns to work with various programs within the community.

As a part of this year’s competition, A&B staff approached the Veterans Home about providing some equipment for the new therapy room.

“They’re doing a PTSD room,” said O’Shaughnessy. “They are looking to piece this room together. We said that we were doing some events, and when we came up with a dollar amount, we would contact them for a list of stuff they still needed. We were able to get everything on the list.”

To present the items, the staff enlisted military veteran employees to make the donation Aug. 25. Items presented included essential oils and diffuser, iPads, Xbox and games, Lego sets, Erector Sets, weighted blankets, iPod Shuffles, a massage chair, iTune cards, Bose system, plants, music therapy supplies: an ocean drum and guitar, Baggo boards with scorers, and lawn art decorations.

The PTSD room is part of the Marden Center, which is funded entirely through donations. State funding for activities only covers 5 percent of the resources needed.

Note: In the Sept. 3 print edition of the Hub City Times, the title of the version this story misstates the company’s name. It is A&B Process Systems, not System. This story has been corrected.