The Veterans Assistance Commission of Kendall County is starting a new peer support group for veterans and service members.

Standing Watch will start meeting this month at Oswego American Legion Post 675, 19 W. Washington St. in downtown Oswego. The commission is partnering with VetPark’s A.T.V. A.T.V. stands for alternative therapy for veterans.

The mission of VetPark’s A.T.V. is to encourage, promote and assist all veterans and their families on a journey to whole-person wellness through recovery-focused alternative therapies using peer support.

“We really wanted to create a space where veterans can share their life experiences,” said Sara Gavin, outreach specialist for the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kendall County. “They can build coping skills and also build that camaraderie that they had while in service.”

Veteran Robert Dabney Jr., executive director and founder of VetPark’s A.T.V., will be facilitating the new group.

The new support group fits in with the mission of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kendall County, which is to better the lives of veterans and their families. Gavin, who is a veteran herself, runs a monthly coffee talk for veterans at the Beecher Center in Yorkville.

Standing Watch will start meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 26 at Oswego American Legion Post 675. Plans are for Standing Watch to meet at least twice a month throughout the year.

“It will always be on Mondays and always at the same time and location,” Gavin said.

More information about the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kendall County is available at its website, kendallvets.org.