Saturday, May 2, 2026

FFP hosted a picnic and co-sponsored bringing the movie SHEEPDOG to Lake Cherokee. Afterwards, there was a Q&A session with the writer/director/actor Steven Grayhm and Will Summers (retired Green Beret whose combat activities were made famous in the movie 12 Strong).

SHEEPDOG is a movie about a Veteran’s post-deployment struggles. Powerful and authentic, the movie has been championed by veterans groups across the nation as the nation tackles unacceptably high veteran suicide rates.

Steven Grayhm, the writer/director/actor, visited with our audience and spoke about his 10+ year journey interviewing veterans, Gold Star families, social workers, and others to immerse himself in the world of the post-combat warrior. His experiences led him to write about “Calvin Cole” who is an amalgamation of the veterans’ stories he heard on the road. Calvin is a post-911 veteran, while his father (in an outstanding performance by Vondie Curtis-Hall) plays a Vietnam veteran. We start out meeting these two at their lowest point and as the movie continues, both begin to heal. Calvin is helped by a social worker in training (Virginia Madsen) who has her own story which adds to the depth of her character.

Why am I giving you a movie review???

We lose 17 veterans a day to suicide

(Dept of War, 2026)

• Rates are higher in those 18 to 34

• Rates are higher in those who are experiencing homeless, chronic pain, or health problems

• Pain was the most frequently attributable risk factor

• 61% were not being seen by the VA healthcare system

Why do Veterans not seek help for mental health issues?

• The "Warrior Ethos": Military training emphasizes self-reliance, mental toughness, and the ability to "push through" adversity. Many Veterans feel that asking for help is a sign of weakness or a betrayal of the identity they built during service.

• Stigma: There is often a fear of being judged by peers or family members. Veterans may worry that a mental health diagnosis labels them as "broken" rather than as someone managing a manageable condition.

• Lack of Relatability: Some Veterans feel that civilian providers cannot truly understand the unique nature of military trauma, leading to the belief that "if you haven't been there, you can't help me."

What can we do?

SHEEPDOG the movie is a tool that perhaps could open up a discussion. Mr. Grayhm relayed communications he received by veterans and families of opening up after seeing SHEEPDOG. The movie can be intense, but it can also be relatable to combat veterans, and saving just ONE veteran’s life makes this movie impactful. Perhaps the movie could be used as a tool to simply START a discussion with a veteran.

Offer community. Bring together veterans so that they are in a comfortable environment that offers the opportunity to share - if they want. Combat Warriors Inc (CWI) collaborated with FFP to bring Sheepdog to Lake Cherokee. CWI offers hunting and fishing trips to veterans and active-duty service men and women. In East Texas, they bring veterans to events at Sam Satterwhite’s ranch and elsewhere. Operation True North is a Longview veteran organization that provides a safe space for veterans to meet and share their stories. And, let’s not forget our faith-based groups including Church at Lake Cherokee, whose leaders DID NOT FLINCH when we asked them to host an event for veterans (and leave popcorn in the pews).

The Lake Cherokee community can help also. Through Freedom Park (and FFP), we can offer a space for veterans to gather. Events like picnics, ceremonies, fishing trips and celebrations, Freedom Park can be Lake Cherokee’s way of supporting our veterans.

Texas veterans are Texas treasures

Will you help FFP help our veterans? Please donate or volunteer with FFP so that Lake Cherokee can keep our State’s treasures safe