From Abandoned Church to Veteran Sanctuary
Richard Casper, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, almost walked away from his dream. Shortly after his nonprofit, CreatiVets, purchased a derelict church in Nashville to convert into a 24-hour arts centre for veterans, the building was vandalised. The damage to the stained-glass windows and structure was disheartening, but more concerning to Casper was the timing—it happened just weeks after the purchase, after the building had stood empty since 2017 without incident.
"I almost just left," admitted Casper, who found the event deeply unsettling. However, his own experiences with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), stemming from witnessing a friend's death while on patrol in Iraq, fuelled his determination. He envisioned a safe, always-open space where veterans could channel their pain into music, painting, sculpture, and theatre, rather than turning to potentially destructive environments like bars during difficult nights.
A Mission Supported by a Hollywood Veteran
Help arrived from an influential ally: actor and philanthropist Gary Sinise. Best known for his Oscar-nominated role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, Sinise's foundation committed a substantial $1 million donation to assist CreatiVets in acquiring the property. His belief in the project inspired two other donors to contribute, finalising the purchase.
Sinise articulated the profound need for such creative outlets. "In the military, you’re trained to do serious work to protect our country," he explained. "If you’re in the infantry, you’re being trained to kill. You’re being trained to contain any emotion and be strong." He emphasised that while these skills are vital in combat, they take a heavy toll, and many veterans struggle to discuss their feelings afterwards. "But through art – and with theatre as well – acting out what they are going through can be very, very beneficial."
Transforming Trauma into Song and Stained Glass
The therapeutic power of CreatiVets' programmes is embodied by veterans like David Booth. A retired Army master sergeant who served for 20 years, Booth participated in the songwriting programme in September 2025. Working with established songwriters in Nashville, he transformed his experiences—including a severe traumatic brain injury from an IED explosion in 2006 and the haunting memory of child casualties—into a song titled "What's Next."
"For me, this was more important than the last year and a half of counselling that I’ve gone through," Booth stated. "It has been so therapeutic." His song is set to be released on music streaming services as part of CreatiVets' ongoing collaboration with Big Machine Label Group.
Back in Nashville, the vandalism sparked a community response. CreatiVets' Art Director, Tim Brown, led volunteers in creating new stained-glass pieces to replace the damaged ones. In a poignant tribute, Casper decided to incorporate the broken glass into new artwork inspired by the music of Mac Sinise, Gary Sinise's late son. A performance space in the new centre will be named the Mac Sinise Auditorium in his memory.
When presented with stained-glass panes inspired by his son's compositions, a moved Gary Sinise responded, "I’m honoured that we’re going to have this place over there and that Mac is going to be supporting Richard and helping veterans." The centre, born from adversity, is poised to become a crucial community hub, offering a creative lifeline to those who served.
