“Clockwise from left, Norma Jean Young, Elly Erickson, Shirley Smullin, Vicki Schenz, and Diane Baxter beat out the rhythm of a beating heart.Matt Johnson, staff photosA group of South Whidbey residents are preparing a Veterans Day event intended to help both Vietnam veterans and those with no military service reconcile their own feelings about that experience.The Vietnam Veterans Community Reconciliation Celebration will be Saturday, Nov. 11, at 5 p.m. in Langley Methodist Church, Third Street and Anthes Avenue. It’s meant to be a healing not just for the veterans but for everyone in the community, said one of the event’s planners, Ken Jackson, who also is known as Grey Eagle.He said the celebration will help Vietnam veterans deal with post traumatic stress disorder, a condition found among many Vietnam combat veterans. Also during that weekend, veterans will be able to participate in sacred sharing circles and a sweat lodge ceremony, Jackson said.Organizers encourage civilians who lived through the Vietnam era to also think about that time and come to terms with their feelings about the war and the men and women who were sent there.The event at Langley Methodist Church will have an acknowledgement ceremony, Jackson said, followed by a reconciliation dance to the heartbeat rhythm of drums played by local women. In our culture women have always been the ones who brought people together for reconciliation, he said. The local women have created a cleansing and releasing ceremony that will precede the dance.Also participating in the event will be Rev. David Vergin of Langley Methodist Church and Mary Knight-Burdsal, Unity of Whidbey’s spiritual leader.Following the dance, Jackson said, participants will share a meal prepared by Bountiful Table, and several local music groups and individuals will entertain. Everyone should feel a lot more whole and joyous after coming through this thing, he said.Jackson said some veterans are expected from American Lake Veterans Hospital near Olympia, where he volunteered for a time. However, he said, many of the Vietnam veterans most in need of closure from their experience have isolated themselves and are hard to contact. He said anyone who knows a veteran should encourage the vet to attend this event.To learn more about the community acknowledgement celebration or to offer services or support, call 331-7567. Jackson said the message on that number will be updated during the week, and the group would also like to obtain a head count to aid in meal planning. “