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Connections

How can we better support U.S. veterans?

A red, white and blue American Flag is blowing in the wind in front of a cloudy blue sky.
christingasner/Christin Lola
/
stock.adobe.com
A red, white and blue American Flag is blowing in the wind in front of a cloudy blue sky.

12:00: How can we better support U.S. veterans?

1:00: How local neighborhood associations are building community

Roughly six percent of American adults are veterans. That’s more than 18 million people. The plurality are now Gulf War-era veterans, eclipsing the number of living Vietnam veterans. Various advocacy groups are calling for changes – including dealing with a Veterans Administration budget shortfall. Meanwhile, veteran suicide remains a serious problem, and local organizations are trying to give veterans a place to belong. One example is the Flower City Warriors veterans hockey team. We discuss the state of veterans affairs with our guests:

  • Chas Belfield, president of Flower City Warriors
  • Joseph Chenelly, executive director at AMVETS national headquarters

Then in our second hour, do you feel close to people in your community? According to data from Pew Research in 2023, Americans are less likely than people abroad to feel a connection to others in their country and communities. Local neighborhood associations are trying to change that. The associations are comprised of volunteers dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents. From beautification projects to community events to providing information about zoning issues or code violations, the associations cover a lot of ground. This hour, we sit down with the leaders of several neighborhood associations in the city of Rochester to discuss their work, how they foster engagement, and why they think community building is so important in 2025. Our guests:

  • Bill Collins, president of the Maplewood Neighborhood Association
  • Lydia Rivera, vice president of the Edgerton Area Neighborhood Association and president of the Lyell Avenue Business Association
  • Jose Peo, president of the Charlotte Community Association
Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections is our daily, live talk show. It airs live weekdays, noon-2 p.m., and re-airs at 9 and 10 p.m. You can also find us wherever you find your podcasts.

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