Events Calendar

Join us on Wednesday, November 16th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with Brian O’Hare, winner of the 2021 Veterans Writing Award!

We’ll be chatting about his novel, Surrender. In the tradition of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, Brian O’Hare’s Surrender is a rich collection of coming-of-age stories, a journey into the heart of the American hero myth, from the Friday night football fields of Western Pennsylvania to a battalion of Marines in the Persian Gulf and beyond. But what happens when the crowds stop cheering and the welcome home parades are over? Find out at this free event!

SUMMARY

Winner of the Syracuse University Press’ 2021 Veterans Writing Award chosen by National Book Award winner and Marine Phil Klay

In the tradition of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, Brian O’Hare’s Surrender is a rich collection of coming-of-age stories, a journey into the heart of the American hero myth, from the Friday night football fields of Western Pennsylvania to a battalion of Marines in the Persian Gulf and beyond. But what happens when the crowds stop cheering and the welcome home parades are over? Guilt, fear, and brutality collide with love and acceptance as a diverse cast of characters struggle to reconcile mythology with reality, and to find meaning in a uniquely American chaos.

In bittersweet stories with surprising humor, the characters grapple with the choices they’ve made and a country they no longer understand. Written in spare and unsentimental prose, yet with a startling emotional punch, these stories, and the unforgettable characters who tell them, will live long in the reader’s imagination.

REVIEWS

“SURRENDER is written in delightful, incisive prose bursting with humanity. It is deeply observed and emotionally powerful, sharp on both the cultural mores of young men and on the deeper consequences of what happens when that mixes with American military power. And each story boasts richly imagined characters that live on in the mind long after you’ve finished reading”

— Phil Klay, author of Redeployment, winner of the National Book Award

“What does it mean to be a man? It’s a good (and complicated) question, but Brian O’Hare’s collection, SURRENDER, can stand with Hemingway’s Nick Adams stories and the work of Andre Dubus in those writers’ attempt to illuminate the cost and fragility of that answer. These stories are not long, but each is a jab to the heart.”

—Jim Krusoe, author of The Sleep Garden

“O’Hare’s SURRENDER crackles with not only the gunfire of combat but the livewire sparks of human emotions. His characters, led by the war-haunted Marine Lieutenant Francis Keane, are as authentic as they come: they ache and groan and break into pieces only to rebuild themselves, shard by shard. This fiction is the stuff of real life. These pages breathe, my friends.”

—David Abrams, author of Brave Deeds

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian O’Hare is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and former US Marine Corps officer. His career began in a Baltimore bar, the legendary Club Charles, where director John Waters cast him to appear in his film Cry Baby. Currently, he’s an award-winning writer and filmmaker living in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in War, Literature and the Arts; Santa Fe Writers Project; Hobart; and other journals, and he has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes. He was named a Writing Fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and recently served as Visiting Writer at CUNY/Kingsborough (Brooklyn). This is his debut novel.

The first of its kind in the region, the RHVC will serve as a hub of resources for veterans, first responders, and their families. Through collaboration among public, private, and nonprofit partners, this one-stop shop will remove barriers and streamline service delivery for local warriors.

UWS is honored to have South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, South Carolina Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Todd McCaffrey, Greenville Mayor Knox White, and other state and community dignitaries show their support by attending this special event.

UWS holds the master lease for the 40,000 square foot center through which warriors will gain direct access to veteran-centric tenants and broader access to the organization’s network of community partners. The RHVC houses resources for workforce development, housing stability, physical and mental health, legal support, therapeutic art, and much more. This one-stop shop approach will enable veterans, first responders, and their families to easily connect with the services they need to thrive.

At Wednesday’s private ribbon cutting event, a brief program will take place, including a presentation of colors by the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard, key remarks by Governor McMaster, Dorothy Dowe (Rupert Huse Charitable Fund Trustee), and UWS leadership, as well as an original poem by Glenis Redmond (Poet Laureate, City of Greenville). Following the program, the RHVC doors will be open for tours.

Rupert Huse Veteran Center – Upstate Warrior Solution

Join us for a Pop-Up with author Martha LaGuardia-Kotite and her book Changing the Rules of Engagement!

Changing the Rules of Engagement brings to life the authentic, vivid stories of leadership from inspiring and adventurous women who achieved the extraordinary by serving their country in the U.S. military. These women shattered the glass ceiling and performed extraordinary feats by refusing to take “no” for an answer and learning how to lead in traditionally male-dominated environments. Martha LaGuardia-Kotite skillfully captures their leadership lessons, struggles, and successes—showing how courageous and tenacious women can achieve their goals and help change policy, insights also applicable to today’s leaders in corporate and business boardrooms.

Whether soaring into outer space with the second woman to command a space shuttle or plunging to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with a combat veteran special operations diver, these profiles in leadership highlight a range of powerful examples: from Vivien Crea, a vice commandant of the Coast Guard, who rose to the highest position of any woman in the history of the U.S. military, to Tammy Duckworth, who demonstrated her resilience after being shot down while piloting a helicopter in Iraq and went on to serve as a U.S. senator. Also included are the inspirational stories of women Marines and the first women members of the military service academies’ gender-integrated classes, who recall the highs and lows of their trailblazing journey.

Representative of a widely diverse group of enlisted women and officers of different races and cultures, these women have succeeded since the mid-1970s at combating prejudices and aiding change in the military culture with grit, intelligence, leadership, and honor.

Come here more about it from the author Martha Saturday morning from 10am to noon!

The White Rabbit Gallery is pleased to hold an exhibition of veteran art work from August 12th though the 26th. This exhibition features artwork created by the participants of the Therapeutic Art Program through Upstate Warrior Solution. The TAP offers various workshops to the members of the military, first responders, as well as their family members and care givers, as a form of creative release and relaxation. The artwork in this exhibition represents a few of the different visual artforms that are offered through the program. Please come out to the White Rabbit gallery to see the artwork!”

VETERANS ART SHOW RECEPTION
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 3-5PM
@ WHITE RABBIT FINE ART GALLERY

DROP-IN – OPEN TO ALL. We are pleased to hold a reception for the participants of the Therapeutic Art Program through Upstate Warrior Solution. The artwork in this exhibition represents a few of the different visual artforms that are offered through the program. The program is open to military, first responders and their families who want to explore their creative side and for relaxation. Drop in to show your support and/or inquire about your participation in the program. See you Saturday, August 26, 3-5PM. Light Refreshments provided.

Craft Axe Throwing and White Duck Taco are proud to honor our veterans and active military with free experience upgrades with purchase of a bundle November 8th-10th. On November 11th all veterans and active military throw free for 45 minutes and receive free chips and salsa/queso from White Duck Taco.

Book on our website to ensure you have a lane reserved!