Madison County (New York) Mission 1st Veteran Community Center: Dwyer Peer Support, Veterans' Groups and Karma's Kompanions

Peer support. The newsletters describe the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Project, the State-funded veteran peer programme: "Through group meetings, social activities, and one-on-one mentoring, the Dwyer Program fosters a sense of community and provides essential resources for mental health and well-being." The agency held its first volunteer peer training on October 21, 2025, in a series for peer supporters and veteran mentors on "role clarity, effective communication, suicide prevention, and crisis intervention". Patricia Godfrey is the peer support coordinator. Groups. Wounded Widows, "a compassionate group where widows come together for emotional support", meets on the first Friday of the month; Valkyries Rest is a monthly group of women veterans; The League of Gentlemen Warriors is "a brotherhood of male Veterans". A Healthy Aging Adults group for veterans and spouses 65 and over began in August 2026. The agency plans six veterans' breakfasts a year at Theodore's Restaurant in Canastota (112 came in May 2026 and 125 in August), and the family BBQ at Delphi Falls County Park drew about 88 in July 2026. Karma's Kompanions. "The Madison County Veterans Agency (MCVSA) is proud to announce the creation of a dedicated fund for veterans through a collaboration with Wanderers Rest Humane Association. The 'Karma's Kompanions' program addresses a significant barrier for our veterans: adoption fees." Dogs from the shelter visit the center on Fridays ("Fur Friday") and cats on Mondays; a veteran who wants to adopt calls the agency. It is named for Karma, the dog of Mark Mossman, a peer support specialist who died of PTSD. Where. Mission 1st Veteran Community Center, 1065 Northside Plaza, Oneida, NY 13421; 315-366-2395. Volunteers, including drivers, sign up on the agency's form.