Joe Ruszala is a hero—a Vietnam War veteran, serving our country during a very difficult time of conflict and turmoil. During his deployment, Joe had a number of experiences that made a lasting impact on his life. You see, like many of our treasured vets, Joe is a sufferer of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to experiences he had during the war over half a century ago.
To help cope with his PTSD, Joe wrote his story down and made an interactive map to illustrate where he was in Vietnam during each experience he shares in its pages. He came to Island Ship Center, driving about 30 minutes to get here, because he knew that, of all the printing options in the greater Buffalo area he could have chosen to work with, Island Ship Center would do its best to serve him, with their gratitude for his service so many years ago…and still to this day through his community-building efforts.
Seema Mojawalla, Island Ship Center President and Co-Owner, worked with Joe to make publishing his book a reality. They sat down, went over ideas, and before we all knew it had come up with a beautiful design for the book, which they were then very honored to produce—printed on high-quality paper, bound, and including the fold-out interactive map. Joe now shares that book when he speaks with groups and meets contacts with whom he shares his experiences, not only for his own healing but also for the healing and education of community members.
In Joe’s own words, “Island Ship Center helped me greatly in the development of this book in the way it is presented. It was specifically designed to be different. They overcome many challenges, with a map cover, the yellow pages of my handwritten notes, [the] spiral back, and the map fold-out, which is the centerpiece of the book. Needless to say, it’s been very well received and is a hit.”
And from Island Ship Center, “Thank you, Joe, for trusting us to help make this important work of yours a tangible reality. We are grateful for your service then and now and for the outstanding outreach you now perform. You’re indeed a hero!”
Joe’s books are sold for just $50 to anyone who is interested, and at a discount for family, friends, and anyone also coping with mental health challenges. For more information, please reach out to Fahim or Seema at Island Ship Center.
