Every other Wednesday at the Royal Canadian Legion in the rural south Ottawa community of Manotick , Canadian Armed Forces veterans meet over coffee to discuss their experiences from their time in the military.

The setting is meant to reflect a military mess hall, which organizers say fosters a sense of camaraderie among those who attend the biweekly “Buddy Check Coffee” meetings.

“Manotick doesn’t have a lot of individual sources ... for veterans to gather in a casual way,” said Melanie Woolley, a regular attendee.

“It’s really important for veterans to be able to interact with each other in a casual way where it’s not therapy.”

Woolley is a veteran of the Canadian Navy, having served as a port inspection diver for five years.

The biweekly meetings are organized through the legion'

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