Nicole Guest from the American Legion waves up to one of the veterans’ rooms on Saturday.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
Guitarist serenades vets from outside building
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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The residents of the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center were treated to the sounds of music on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, thanks to a little bit of creativity.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has effectively put a temporary stop to group activities at the VA, that didn’t stop Nicole Guest, the American Legion District 12’s canteen fund manager, from finding a safe way to bring some fun and cheer to the hospital.
“We haven’t gotten to see the vets for the last two months,” Guest said. “I made some calls, and we managed to get this set up for the vets to enjoy.”
In lieu of a bus trip or a cookout, Guest and the rest of the American Legion decided to put on an impromptu concert of sorts, right outside in the parking lot.
Billie Fink, a resident of Wilkes-Barre Township and a skilled guitar player, set up a one-man show outside of the VA on Saturday. With just a chair, a stand to hold music and Fink’s trusty guitar, the music carried up to the windows, where some of the veterans could be seen looking out and waving to Fink and Guest, clapping in time with the music and calling out their appreciation.
“Because of COVID, we can’t get in there to have our usual events,” Guest said. “We missed St. Patrick’s Day and Easter already.”
The American Legion has always been such an integral part of the VA, members volunteering their time to spend time with the vets and planning parties on their behalf, including Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Guest hopes that the pandemic will subside sooner rather than later, so that she and the rest of the Legion can get back to doing what they love: spending time with the vets. But, ever mindful of the safety of the veterans, these one-man concerts could become something of a staple at the VA.
“We’ll do this again,” Guest said. “The vets love the music. It cheers them up.”
Fink played in three different spots around the perimeter of the hospital, in order to reach as many people as possible with his music. He led off with a stirring rendition of “God Bless the USA” before cranking out classics from the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Eagles.
Although it was just Guest and Fink in attendance on Saturday, Guest said that the rest of the Legion wanted to be there, but didn’t want to put anybody at risk or disobey social distancing protocols. In the coming weeks and months, as the state begins to gradually open up, it’s possible that more of the Legion members will join in on the fun.
“We may not all be with the veterans today, but we carry them in our hearts,” Guest said.