Veterans Thankful for Eric Butera's Volunteer Work

(prHWY.com) March 4, 2013 - Salt Lake City, UT -- Everyone needs a purpose in their life and Eric Butera found his through recreational therapy and volunteer work. Eric Butera can empathize with those he works with in his volunteer work quite easily. Eric Butera can relate to the veterans because he himself spent 8 years in the army. His military service extended from 1999 to 2007.
It was shortly after his honorable discharge that Eric Butera re-entered school at the University of Utah. He decided to earn his Bachelor of Science in recreational therapy. While he attended classes, Eric Butera continued his volunteer work.

"In the summer of 2012, I was selected to participate with a rope course in Grass Valley, California at the Kissler Ranch. The training was directed towards small and large groups. The purpose was to build self-confidence, self-worth, and safety procedures with rope climbing," says Eric Butera. He was selected for the rope course through the internship he performed with the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

"It is at the VA medical center that I still perform my volunteer work," says Eric Butera. As a volunteer working with veterans, Eric Butera supports different forms of therapy. He is an advocate for pet therapy, group therapy, and recreational therapy. "It is important that veterans with missing limbs still be able to participate in sports. They want to compete and adaptive supports allows them to do that," says Eric Butera. Their ability to participate in sports is extremely important to their own perception of themselves and their abilities and self-worth.

Eric Butera supports every struggling veteran to seek out therapy. "There are many people out there who care," says Eric Butera; "many volunteers like myself have served or are close to someone who has served in the services." Eric Butera hopes to reach out to disabled vets as well, "at the VA medical center, I assist disabled veterans play a variety of supports. I assist in wrestling, soccer, and volleyball." He hopes disabled veterans don't lose themselves to despair but use opportunities to realize they are still functional members of society.

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