“ I lost my brother, and that just won’t do, how do you explain to a child that the man that was a hero is no longer here.”

John Preston an always marine, firefighter and rock singer says he may have been to war, but there is no bigger fight than the one against preventing suicide in America Heroes.

Preston landed his first record deal while serving in Iraq. On returning from war, Preston has spent years working with veterans suffering from PTSD, only to lose his brother in January 2016 for the same reason.

“Superman Falls” is the title song on my new album and it is the only way I know how to say to those who are seeking help, do it — reach out, there is no shame. I suffered from PTSD for more than 10 years. I turned to alcohol and drugs and realized they are not the answer. My music and my determination to make sure that other families don’t go through what we went through when I lost the man I called a hero.” Says Preston.

Ahead of the album hitting nationwide “Superman Falls” will be released as a single as part of the collaborative album made possible by a partnership with the Valkyrie Institute and Pacific Records.

The new CD, “Battle Cry: Songs of America’s Heroes” will feature ten artists and 14 new songs. Some of the other well-known artists include Dave Bray, the Scooter Brown Band, Dee Rock. And Ryan Weaver.

“Each artist on this first-of-its-kind compilation CD has given something that came from the heart to support an amazing non-profit, The Valkyrie Initiative. As a combat Veteran and 2-time Gold Star Family member, seeing what Veterans can and will do to support others is inspiring, and I’m honoured to contribute my song ‘BURN’ to this project to continue that effort,” says Ryan Weaver.

While recent statistics have shown that 22 veteran lives are lost each day, Preston believes that number may be low. According to the Veteran’s Association since 2001 the rate of suicide among U.S Veterans has increased by almost 33%.
It says only a portion of these veterans were using any VA or medical services.

“My message is always to move forward and be you. Find what you love and go after it. Nothing feels better than watching dreams be a reality. We are war fighters and we can endure any battle ahead but must know we are not alone. Don’t try to be a hero, its ok because sometimes Superman falls.” Adds Preston.

You can see a sneak peak of the “Superman Falls” video here.

The album will be available for pre-release on February 10th.

By Raychel Harvey-Jones — Horizon Goodwill is setting the bar high when it comes to helping veterans get back into the workplace. Goodwill has partnered with AMVETS to reduce the number of veterans who are unemployed.

Ciara Robinson is an AMVETS Career Center Manager who works in close collaboration with organizations nationwide to get veterans on a new career path.

“We are funded through the Call of Duty Endowment. I manage the program that helps veterans to gain employment by connecting with various organizations nationwide, groups like Goodwill. We also have right now we have about 30 career centers across the country.” Says Ciara Robinson from AMVETS.

According to the Call of Duty Endowment Program, more than13% of young veterans in the U.S are unemployed, that’s more than twice the national average

Horizon Goodwill Industries, whose mission is “Removing Barriers, Creating Opportunities,” is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to employment despite significant obstacles. Horizon Goodwill serves over 5,000 clients annually in a 17 county region that includes parts of the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

“We started working with Goodwill about a year ago, and we are thrilled that they have succeeded the number of placements they were assigned. We have to shine a spotlight on one of Goodwill’s team leaders Lindsay Tosten. She is the team leader for Goodwill in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. She is working closely with veterans to find them jobs she provides bi- weekly reports and keeps a close eye on those who are facing barriers to getting back to work. In 2016, more than 20 veterans headed back to work thanks to Goodwill and Lindsay’s strong work ethic, adds Robinson.

The positions found for veterans vary from full- time to part-time some may even incorporate training work therapy programs. Job types range from construction to soft labor and clerical positions.

“We are thrilled to be part of a group chosen to help our nation’s heroes. We need to realize that many of the skills required for even a basic clerical position today require computer skills, email access, and knowledge. Many of the veterans we work with don’t have that. We help them with resume writing and computer skills, we break down the barriers that prevent them from being successful” says Catharine Fleming,‎ Director of Mission Services at Horizon Goodwill.

“Nationally we were set a goal by the Call of Duty Endowment to find jobs for 450 veterans, at the end of 2016 that number stood at almost 470. Without organizations like Goodwill, this wouldn’t be possible. This success allows us to apply for the funding again this year and helps more vets take home a pay-check. What is amazing is many of our team leaders like Lindsay are volunteers. Lindsay has been great; she is very responsive to emails and reporting challenges and working with employers to overcome them.” adds Robinson.

The Call of Duty Endowment provides grants to the best non-profits in the country that are getting unemployed veterans high-quality jobs.

Sons of AMVETS in Ohio is named as Heal Help Veteran’s (Heal Vets) as it’s partner of the year. Daniel Briggs National sons of AMVETS Commander says nothing is more gratifying than working with Sons of AMVETS and helping America’s heroes.

“My father was a veteran, and he got me involved with AMVETS. He did a lot of volunteering, and I wanted to carry on his work,” says Briggs.

Sons of AMVETS is a national group made up of male descendants of American veterans. As volunteers, they help to improve the quality of life for veterans and their families. Their work ranges from appealing to America’s lawmakers and helping with the day-to-day care of veterans.

Briggs and his team of volunteers played a prominent role in the distributed of more than 6,000 therapeutic craft kits to veterans on behalf of Heal Vets.

“I first joined AMVETS in OHIO as just a member, then moved up to the first vice of chair of memberships of the local squadron before moving up tot the National level and being a part of the Veteran Affairs Voluntary Services. Volunteers are crucial to nonprofits throughout America. Whether actively giving their time formally or occasionally being part of a volunteering group,” says Briggs

Heal Vets provides free therapeutic craft kits to veterans to help them improve their motor skills, improve their self-esteem and try to create as healthy a living environment as possible, following for many traumatic events serving their country. HHV aims to reach as many veterans and possible and offer them craft therapy.

“These kits are so important because they provide a therapy outlet for veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, anxiety and other ailments. With prescription drug use on the rise having alternative outlets for stress and calming relief,” says CEO of Heal Vets Joe McClain.

“Partnerships with groups like the Sons of AMVETS, the Elks and Vietnam Veterans of America and others are invaluable. Volunteers like Daniel enable our therapeutic Art and Craft Kits to make it around the U.S.” Adds McClain.

McClain says, “They provide a conduit to veterans we might otherwise meet. That is the key to our partnerships; Heal Vets provides programming in a box, and the support groups like Sons of AMVETS provide manpower on the ground, and together we help veterans, last year alone we helped over 6,000 veterans, which exceeded our goal.”

Briggs says, “I can see how happy these veterans are to be involved with putting together these craft kits. These men are amazing and inspiring. Recently a veteran who was blind showed me how to make some moccasins, I had my sight and was amazed how he could do it with no sight at all. They are brave men who achieved so much; these kits help them continue to achieve great things.”

“We have an overwhelming demand, so much that we can’t always fill orders immediately. We get notes daily from veterans and their families on the impact of our kits on their lives. Sons of AMVETS also donated over $28,000 for a literary study on Therapy and Arts and to offset mailing of kits.” Adds McCain.

Briggs says, “I was very very happy not just for me but for the Sons of AMVETS who work tirelessly to get these kits to veterans. Sons of AMVETS is a very worthy recipient of this award.”

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes on a movie set? Michael Lynch releases some behind the scene footage from “Dependent’s day” named one of the top five Indie Films of 2016.Award winning movie director Michael Lynch says he knew “Dependent’s Day” had to be more than a short when he saw the chemistry between the lead characters.

The ‘behind the scenes’ video shows Joe Burke and Benita Robledo along with other cast members talking about their role in the movie, some funny moments and never seen before footage. Lynch himself gives away some secrets as to where his inspiration came from for the opening scene.

The movie follows a young couple, Joe Burke who plays Cam, a struggling actor chasing his dream of making it to Hollywood. Benita Robledo plays Alice, Cam’s smart, sexy and successful girlfriend who claims Cam as a dependent.

Lynch says he is thrilled with the accolades that are rolling in for the movie. Film Fervor just named “Dependent’s Day” one of the top five Indie films of 2016.

“As we got to talking and discovering who these people were just had more and more ideas. Then the call came from Michael he said ‘block out the whole month we are making a feature’ I wasn’t surprised it felt right,” says Robledo.

“We were wondering from the first rehearsal, this was too long to be a short film, it grew from day one of the cold read through,” says Burke.

“It’s a movie about sincere love, it’s not a typical romantic comedy,” says Michael Lynch. “The accounting office is the first time Cam realizes he is not where he wants to be. This scene came from my life experience; my wife had hit a grove in her career and was earning more than me. We were in an accountant’s office, and he starts putting me down. I think the raw honestly came from real life experiences and I also workshopped scenes with the actors,” says Lynch.

“Our relationship in the movie is normal for today, it’s not a typical love story, it’s real, life love” adds Burke.

Erin Pineda plays a film director in the movie, and she is not impressed with Cam.

“Mike allowed everyone to do what felt right to them and hit the lines at the same time, it was a fun set to be on, and you can see that in the movie,” says Pineda.

Lisa Ann Walter plays Bette in the film, the cougar boss of Alice who puts Cam in an awkward situation. Walter is known for her roles in “Bruce Almighty” “ Shall We Dance” along with her comedy series on Fox Network says, she was talked into the project by Michael.
“ His passion for this project was infectious.”

Walters adds, “I have never worked with someone who was so passionate about, a project on a budget with so many moving parts, but he was always so calm.

“We worked 8 hour days instead of the usual 12–15 hours on a typical film project, and the crew was happy, I wanted people to have normal lives on and off set,” says Lynch.

Walter says, “I have worked with some of the biggest money making actors, these guys were one big team we all wanted to be there.”

“There is a fresh perspective that we are telling in Dependent’s day, it doesn’t matter what others think about you or your relationships, what is important is if that the love and the relationship works, “ says Lynch.

You can check out the “behind the scenes” movie here.

“I was asked by Sheila Stephens the CEO of The Valkyrie Initiative (VI) if I would donate a song for a compilation cd featuring all combat veteran musicians. I was blown away by the track list with artists like The Scooter Brown Band, Ryan Weaver, and Dave Bray of Madison Rising! These artists have put in the work and are doing amazing things for the veteran community,” says Preston

Preston faced his demons after returning from Iraq, suffering from PTSD and hitting the bottle to try and find an answer. Preston lost his brother to suicide after suffering from PTSD. Now he devotes time to making music, helping other veterans to get help and raising awareness on the alarmingly high rate of suicide among America’s vets.

Preston says, “I knew then that we had put together a special album and wanted to do all I could to create success! I made the connection with VI and Pacific records and had been involved in all of the proceedings since. Pacific was gracious enough to not only release the album and help promote it but to assure 100% of the sales go back to VI.”

The Valkyrie Initiative, a is non-profit organization dedicated to helping our nation’s heroes, provides a variety of vital services to include jobs and life skills training; recreational therapy and so much more.

“Out of this mission arose a project the first of its kind. Veteran singer/songwriters are banding together with the message of hope for their brothers and sisters. This project, Battle Cry: Songs of America’s Heroes, is an epic CD comprised of powerful songs revealing the heart of those who stand on the line between the public and chaos, between freedom and tyranny. These songs shout out the strength of our warriors as they share their experiences and push through the challenges of reintegration,” Says Sheila Stephens CEO of the Valkyrie Institute.

“This organization is a perfect fit for me. This charity helps integrating veterans and first responder’s transition back into society and helps with their personal battles with PTSD. There could not be a better fit. As a firefighter and a combat Marine who just lost my brother who was a Marine and police officer to suicide, there is not another charity that could make more sense,” adds Preston.

“Pacific, my record label will be releasing the album and will help promote it. I have started to rally the other artists and together we will make a vision a reality. We are the best there is in what we do, and now we have an opportunity to make a difference for our fellow veterans together.”

Preston will also make an appearance on Fox national radio with David Webb on December 7th. He will talk about the album and his leadership in the veteran community and what he has been able to accomplish so far.

Right now the album featuring “Superman Falls” looks to be released in mid-January.

” ‘Burden’ was a big movie for me, there were 500 extras, we shut down the financial district in Chicago, 50 assistants trying to make it all run smoothly it was a fun time, and it got me lots of producing jobs. I realized that I was making the dreams of other people real by producing lots of movies in LA, but some of the movies weren’t progressive. One day I just said, you know what I didn’t come to LA to produce I came to direct,” says Lynch.

“I wanted to do something I was passionate about that’s when my thoughts turned inward and I knew I wanted to tell progressive stories. I had previously produced a few romantic comedies; I even inspired a friend of mine to make a movie, so that got me thinking.”

Lynch says he started to see lots of people guys he knew from high school and college becoming stay at home dads.
“I didn’t feel like the media were talking about it I didn’t feel like we saw movies about it. I grew up surrounded by strong women, so I knew there was a story to be told.”

” I grew up loving movies like ‘As good as it gets’ ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ that kind of romantic comedy, they had a meaning, they are not just looking to get a cheap laugh. I like to call it a comedy with heart.”

“Dependent’s Day” follows the lives of a young couple. Joe Burke plays Cam, a struggling actor who is claimed as a dependent by his sexy and successful girlfriend Benita Robledo who plays Alice. Cam bumbles through life trying his hand at several jobs but can’t quite seem to get his act together. He takes on a babysitting job that leaves him and Alice in a very awkward situation.

Lynch says, “I don’t want to give too much away for those who haven’t seen the film. The babysitting scene was taken from a real life situation. That’s all I will say. The movie was supposed to be a short, but from the minute I cast Joe Burke as Cam, I knew it had to be a feature. On his first read, Joe was a grenade of laughs and the connection between him and Benita was great. Benita plays the perfect straight guy in the movie. I thought to myself; she won’t be ruining any takes laughing as she doesn’t find it funny, she was amazing.”

Lynch admits that some of the scenes were borrowed from his life and the lives of his friends.

“My grandparents always said ‘never go to bed angry with anyone,’ so I used that in the movie. In the film ‘As good as it gets’ there is that great line — ’You made me want to be a better man.’ I looked for that in my wife, and I found it, so I wanted to reflect that in the movie.”

“It’s not the same old romantic comedy where you watch a couple fall in love. It’s real they have real problems. Alice is this incredibly strong woman the bread-winner in the family and Cam needs to man up, in saying that the audience falls in love with him every time,” adds Lynch.

“Dependent’s day” is available on iTunes, Amazon, AT & T and most video on demand service where you can buy or rent movies.

With ‘Dependent’s Day’ now a blinding success with audiences in the U.S and overseas, Lynch says he will now start promoting his latest documentary.
Lynch says, “It’s about victims of sexual child abuse and turning them into victors. It follows the story of Theo Fleury. Fleury won a gold medal at the 2002 Olympics playing hockey. He recently told his story of being abused by a coach when he was younger. In many ways, both “Dependent’s Day” and “Victor Walk” are inspirational in their own ways they are progressive stories with real meaning.”

To get a sneak peak of the movie you can check it out here!

By Raychel Harvey-Jones

Actress Kerry Cahill is a busy lady. She hit the stage in “Grounded” earlier this month after announcing that she would be joining the cast of the hit tv show “The Walking Dead.”

The one- woman show is currently running at Loyola’s University-Lower Depths Theatre. Written by George Brant and Directed by Larissa Lury this is the regional premiere of “Grounded.”

Grounded is about a fighter pilot who is sidelined due to an unexpected pregnancy. She is reassigned to operate military drones from a trailer outside of Las Vegas.

“The script demands a tour-de-force performance, and Cahill doesn’t disappoint.” The advocate.com

Cahill plays the nameless female pilot with confidence. She has mastered the ability ‘to just be one of the guys,’ giving off an air of confidence, while at the same time also being a little cocky.

Imagine being the decision maker behind hitting one button that could obliterate hundreds even thousands of people.

“As an actress you are always looking for ways to develop your acting skills, having done lots of theater and film this one-woman journey is a challenge for me,” says Cahill.

“deeply intimate portrayal”…BizNewOrleans.com

She pursues terrorists during the day and then heads home to her family at night. As the pressure to track a high-profile target mounts, the boundaries begin to blur between the desert in which she lives and the one she patrols half a world away.

Cahill says, “I am deeply honored to be playing such a challenging role. I was looking forward to working with the Director Larissa Lury, and it has been a pleasure. This role is exhausting, there is not a single moment in the show where you can lose concentration.”

As the national spokesperson for AMVETS Cahill says she can relate to many of the issues raised in “Grounded” that veteran’s face.

Cahill joins the ranks of actresses like Anne Hathaway in playing this strong yet at times torn character; Hathaway is rumored to be adapting the play for the big screen.

“I feel a little bit nostalgic, says Cahill, “I am Loyola University alumna, and for the first time and now I have the chance to perform professionally on the same stage that I learned on as a freshman in college. It feels surreal, to say the least.”

“Grounded” runs through November 27th at Loyola’s University- Lower Depths Theatre.

Check out their website here to purchase tickets.

Ann Mahoney may be part of one of the hottest shows on television, but she is not too ‘Hollywood’ to admit she creates her couture on a budget with the help of Goodwill®.

Donations are a large part of the work done by Horizon Goodwill. Items that are donated create so many opportunities for people in their local communities to get a job and build new skills. In 2015, more than 300,000 people started a new career through Goodwill donations, giving them access to the financial support they need and a new big family at Goodwill.

“Donations are essential to our mission of removing barriers, and creating opportunities. Each bag of donations allows us to create one hour of work training. In 2015, our Donated Goods program paid over $3 million in wages, benefits, and taxes to people with disabilities and other barriers to employment,” Horizon Goodwill CEO John McCain

“I love reusing resources and making new unique designs for my petite fashionista. Shopping at Goodwill helps veterans, military families, and single parents to get jobs in their local communities,” says Mahoney.

“I am thrilled that Ann Mahoney wants to share her Goodwill experience with others. I am a huge fan of the show, it’s one of my guiltily pleasures. Goodwill is less of a shopping experience and more of a treasure hunt. We appreciate Ann sharing the creative items she creates with her finds from Goodwill.” Adds McCain.

“I have a unique style, so I always want my children to look unique too. I love shopping at Goodwill. Kids clothes are not cheap to buy, this way my kids get one of a kind outfits and more of them for less money.” Says Mahoney.

“I bought four items, a lace dress, two patterned skirts and a purple top.
I wanted to try and make two different dresses. The items cost me just $9. I already had some basic patterns, but there are also some great websites that offer free patterns. I cut the bodice for the Brooklyn Empire dress out of two different fabrics. The under fabric is from the purple top; the outer fabric is the lace. A delicate lace fabric can cost as much as $14 a yard, so this dress was a great find.”

It may seem like a simple task getting rid of clothes you have outgrown or no longer wear. However when you donate you become a job creator. The money raised from these donations helps with job training and other beneficial services across the nation.

“After completing both dresses, I still have enough lace to make 4 or five more and trim for some other dresses too. I took buttons off a dress my daughter had outgrown and a flower from a cardigan that was also too small. Recycled, reused and rejuvenated,” says Mahoney.

McCain says, “If you’ve never been to a Goodwill store, or if it has been a while, check out the amazing finds in our stores. Every time I visit one of our stores, I find the most unusual and interesting items, as well as clothing, electronics, books, and media.”

“As a working mom, it’s a balancing act between looking stylish and being practical,” says Ann Mahoney.

I haven’t had time to go through my clothes this summer between working on “Million Dollar Quartet” and “The Walking Dead” as I have rarely been home. Cutting down on the clutter and keeping the clothes that are my style means I can spend more time with my kids and less time choosing what to wear,” says Mahoney.

“The mission is tons of style with a tiny closet,” says Jennifer Mapp Bressan from Mappcraft.com.

Jenn, a self-confessed shopaholic, says the capsule closet changed her life, and now she is inspiring others to take the plunge.

“Ann is easy to work with as she has a clearly defined personal style, ample body confidence and she knows what she likes.” says Jenn.

Mahoney says, “I like whimsical clothing, with intricate details but I don’t like them to be overwhelming. I knew I had a lot of black clothes, but wow — I do.”

Jenn says, “A goth girl at heart Ann loves black. I challenged her to take a hard look at the black assortment, and together we eliminated several items that she once loved but had run their course.”

The MappCraft capsule wardrobe should have between 35–40 items for each season. Everything should fit, be versatile to wear in different ways and make you feel great!

“We started with 50 items and narrowed it down to 38. Don’t tell yourself you will fit into ‘those jeans’ one day, or that you can’t throw something away as it was expensive or has sentimental value — you can do it,” says Jenn.

While the goal of the capsule wardrobe is to reduce the number of garments, it’s also to create lots of different outfits.

“I confess I did put a couple of black casual shirts back in my closet when Jenn wasn’t looking,” adds Mahoney.

Jenn says, “If it doesn’t serve you then ditch it.”

“If you don’t wear an item of clothing, but you think you can’t live without it, store it out of sight for a few months.”

As each season passes look back at the clothes that you didn’t wear or that you weren’t comfortable in and donate, consign, or simply ditch them, this will help keep your closet clutter free.

“The great thing about evaluating the productivity of your closet and cutting the clutter — is that you can then shop to fill the gaps.”

“Accessories are the key to a capsule wardrobe. Step 1, chose your ‘base’ outfit like a dress, Step 2, add some texture, color or print. Step 3, pick out some jewelry and then the shoes!”

“The secret to looking stylish and effortless is the comfort. If you are comfortable, then you are confident, and that’s the secret to great style,” adds Jenn.

Mahoney says, “I had fun going through my closet, and I learned that it is ok to give things away. If you aren’t responding instinctually to a piece of clothing, it doesn’t belong. Like everything else in my life, there are things I have a passion for. The things I am not passionate about — should be given away to someone who might love them!”

“Thank you for saving my life. The words are so inadequate when you realize what they did to help me,” says Andrew Milne of Palo Alto.

In March, Milne suffered a heart attack at his home. The firefighters from Engine 64 and Medic 62 played a big role in saving Milne’s life.

Country singer and always-marine John Preston was part of the 5-man team who brought Milne back from the edge of death.

“We received a ‘man down’ call, so we are never really sure what we are walking into when we get those calls. When we arrived Milne had no pulse, he wasn’t breathing. We started compressions and shocks, until we brought him back,” says Preston.

“I lost my father recently seeing Andrew reminded me of that, seeing his wife and children I didn’t want them to lose a husband and father,” added Preston.”

Milne says his friends and family filled in the blanks of what happened as he doesn’t remember much about the day he collapsed.

“My daughter heard me gasping for breath and called my wife, she reached out to a neighbor for help as they were waiting for the EMT crew to arrive. My neighbor who is a teacher gave me CPR, before the police and the firefighters arrived.”

“It’s amazing what police and firefighters do every day to help people; I am glad they will be recognized for their efforts. Preston visited me in the hospital. He and the whole crew went above and beyond to make sure I got to see my family again. On the journey to the hospital, my wife got to know Preston and learned about his work with Veterans, helping to raise suicide awareness in the fight against post-traumatic stress disorder.”

“I met the police who performed CPR on me they came to my house so I could thank them in person. I also visited the firehouse recently and got to introduce myself to the guys who saved my life. It was a very scary experience for me my family they helped us through it. We also got to hear John sing. He sang a song he wrote for his father. The lyrics were very powerful. He saves lives, writes songs and sings,” says Milne.

“Having spent the last few years sending out the message and raising awareness about veteran suicide and the dangers of PTSD I often switch my emotions off when it comes to being a firefighter. The outcome is not always good no matter how hard we try. I visited Milne in hospital as it resonated with me after losing my dad, he is someone’s dad too,” adds Preston.

Milne is now fully recovered and thrilled to be part of the award ceremony recognizing the brave efforts of the men who risk their lives each day, to save others.