RUMFORD — Diving into something creative can wipe away barriers and allow you to see a path less traveled. Guitars for Vets, or G4V, is a program that hopes to do just that for America’s veterans.

On April 12, the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 24 hosted a celebration and jam session that included a ceremony for the first three students graduating from the Rumford G4V Chapter.

The three veterans — Adam Perreault, of Dixfield, Omar Demers, of Livermore Falls, and Jason Provencher, of Rumford — received a graduation certificate along with a new Yamaha guitar and case donated by American Legion Auxiliary Unit 24. G4V National provided strings, straps, picks, capos and tuners.

The auxiliary members provided a lunch and a commemorative cake for the graduates, who completed their free 10-week guitar instruction program, designed as music therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional distress. Instructors were Dennis Moro, Sam Laskey and Bill McAloney.

During the graduation ceremony, the three veterans spoke about the program.

“This program, to me, is therapy, said Demers, the oldest of three at 80. “Grounding techniques are very important and this is major grounding technique. When I was feeling down and things were bothering me, I took the guitar and I strummed. And Bill (McAloney), thanks for putting up with me. That man tried to teach me, ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ for so long. If he never hears it again, he’ll be happy.”

Demers is a Vietnam-era veteran who enlisted in 1964, and for nine years was a peer support specialist.

“I started out very basic. Never had a guitar. I’m just so thankful for a beautiful guitar, and that will get some use,” Demers said. “I see me sitting on my front porch, in my chair, strumming away. Especially in the evening, when the moon is up there, and listen to Alexa play any kind of music I want to strum to.”

Provencher, a veteran who served in Iraq, talked about going home with one of those new guitars.

“I’ve been lucky and thankful for this program. I’m hoping to go on and do the teaching part of it next time, just to keep it going,” he said. “You guys are doing are doing a great thing, and I appreciate it.”

Perreault, who served for 21 years in the military, said he owned his own guitar for about 10 years but never used it. Then he saw a newspaper clipping in the Rumford Falls Times about a program called Guitars for Vets.

“If it wasn’t for that, I never would have done this program,” he said. “And honestly, I’m not somebody who decides to get out and volunteer. This is something that allow me to be myself.”

Perreault thanked his instructor, Moro.

“I can’t thank you enough for this. This has been a blessing in disguise and has really given me something to be able to reflect upon that allows me to keep a straight head and move on every day,” Perreault said.

Brenda James, president of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 24, made the Rumford G4V program her president’s project, one that will go on beyond this initial year.

“It has taken a great deal of effort to introduce the G4V program in Rumford and to support veterans in neighboring communities. This ongoing process has been rewarding, and I am proud to have played a part in such a valuable initiative,” she said.

James thanked Jay Kerecman for running the Guitars For Vets program in Maine with the Bangor chapter, and now four other chapters, including Rumford.

James’ husband, Moro, one of the instructors, said, “It’s been almost 2 1/2 years to get to this point.”

The G4V program had been excluded by the Togus VA Medical Center from using the new Rumford Veterans Clinic, he said.

“We wanted to be over there. It’s a beautiful facility. But we were kind of waiting, and then the Legion stepped up,” Moro said.

Moro contacted Dan Heiss, volunteer coordinator at Togus, to get the process going to change that.

Heiss made the trip to the G4V graduation to deliver the good news: “We just connected with Natalie Brogan, nurse manager of Rumford VA Clinic. The conference room is very much open to Guitars for Vets. That just makes a world of difference. That’s what the place was built for. It’s for the veterans, so if we can make that happen in a small way.”

Heiss added that the Legion remains “an awesome spot for graduation.”

With the greenlight to start teaching lessons at the Rumford VA, James announced the next session with the same instructors will begin in the near future with the next three veterans.

Regarding being an instructor, Moro, a musician, said he did not serve in the military, but had a lot of relatives who served.

“I’m doing this out of the kindness of my heart,” he said. “I have learned a lot from these veterans, believe me. It’s been overwhelming, but in a good way. It’s very heartwarming.”

Guitars for Vets was founded in 2007 in Wisconsin when a Vietnam veteran and his guitar instructor discovered firsthand the therapeutic effects of learning how to play guitar.

The program’s website states, “Veterans shouldn’t have to face the challenges of PTSD in silence or alone. Through the teamwork and camaraderie of Guitars for Vets, they can join a community where they learn to play guitar and find solace in the songs they love as well as the songs they have yet to write.”

The program has expanded to 110 VA chapters in 40 states, including five chapters in Maine — Rumford, Bangor, Dexter, Lewiston and Bath.