By Mary O’KEEFE

Crescenta Cañada Lions Club will be hosting Norbie Lara, a member of the Wounded Warrior Project, at its meeting on June 6 at 7 p.m. The Lion Club meets at the community room at Citibank in Montrose.

The Wounded Warrior Project began as a way to help veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. What started as a program to provide comfort items to wounded service members has grown into a complete rehabilitative effort to assist warriors as they recover and transition back to civilian life, according to the Wounded Warrior website.

Lara will talk about his experiences in the military and what he faced with returning home.

Lara served in the United States Army for 11½ years. He was deployed in Kuwait and Bosnia and medically retired as Sergeant First Class. In 2005 at the State of the Union address, he represented the U.S. Army as an honored guest of First Lady Laura Bush.

Lara is a highly decorated soldier with awards that include a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

In June 2004, while on combat patrol in Iraq, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) struck Lara’s vehicle. The RPG penetrated the firewall and severed his arm.

All are invited to listen to Lara share his story at the Citibank Community Room, 2350 Honolulu Ave. Seating is limited; please RSVP before June 4 at (818) 248-0478 or email deenart@dselxtreme.com.

  Mary Okeefe