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X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://wjhm.org/
X-WR-CALNAME:Warriors Journey Home
X-WR-CALDESC:Dedicated to support and assist our Veterans
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BEGIN:VEVENT
CLASS:PUBLIC
UID:MEC-8d420fa35754d1f1c19969c88780314d@wjhm.org
DTSTART:20251101T080000Z
DTEND:20251111T180000Z
DTSTAMP:20231025T161800Z
CREATED:20231025
LAST-MODIFIED:20251104
PRIORITY:5
SEQUENCE:15
TRANSP:OPAQUE
SUMMARY:The Witness Tree
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]History and Significance\nSeveral years ago, The Rev. Scott Hutchinson, founder of “Compass” in Perkasie, Pennsylvania modeled their veteran’s ministry on Warriors Journey Home.  One community awareness program Rev. Hutchinson developed was “The Witting Tree.”  Each day from November 1 – 11 he and a Viet Nam veteran placed 22 dog-tags on a tree at a main thoroughfare in their community.  The point was to emphasize the daily 22 veteran suicides, raising awareness that many veterans were suffering.  When Scott, a WJH board member, shared this ceremony with me, I thought; We can do that here and name it The Witness Tree.  \nWarriors Journey Home, Tallmadge, Ohio started the daily ceremony.   Other communities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Wisconsin have adopted the Witness Tree Ceremony. Each day, from November 1 – 11, a brief meditation is read and 22 dog-tags are placed on the Witness Tree calling to mind the war is not over for our veterans.  By November 11 the tree will hold 242 dog-tags, signifying of the loss.  In Warriors Journey Home the suicide is considered a casualty of war, Killed After Action. \nThe community gathers at the tree to remember, and to bear testimony to the truth of war; the sacrifices made, the long suffering by those who bear the impact of violence.  The focus is on the living, those who are “coming home” following their time in the military service, and our responsibility to bring them home. \nLocations\nCuyahoga Falls, OH\nRalph Huff VFW Post 1062\n1581 Main Street\nCuyahoga Falls, OH 44221\n5:15pm daily \nFacilitator: Keith Van Buskirk\nkeithmax.vanb@gmail.com ( mailto:keithmax.vanb@gmail.com )\nFairlawn, OH\nBicentennial Park\n3487 S Smith Road\nFairlawn, OH 44333\n11:00am daily\nFacilitator: Mike Soful\nmike@thebizqb.com\nGreen, OH\nJohn Torok Community & Senior Center\n4224 Massillon Road\nGreen, OH 44720\nNoon daily\nFacilitator: Michael Day\nmichaeld@ibh.org\nKirtland, OH\nKirtland City Hall\n9301 Chillicothe Rd\nKirtland, OH 44094\nNoon daily\nFacilitator: Keith McCrory\nkeithmccrory0114@gmail.com ( mailto:keithmccrory0114@gmail.com )   \nSilver Lake, OH\nOutside near Village Hall\n2961 Kent Road\nSilver Lake, OH 44224\n11:00am daily\nFacilitator: John Schluep\ncaptainjms1951@gmail.com\nStark County Honor Court\nStark County Courthouse\n115 Central Plaza N\nCanton, OH 44702\nNoon daily\nFacilitator: Stan Nabors\nstannabors@gmail.com ( mailto:stannabors@gmail.com )                      \nStreetsboro, OH\nEvergreen Cemetery ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/fjgp9TGjyryLSmmXA )\nVeterans Memorial Area\n5:00pm daily\nFacilitator: Aaron Hatzo\nahatzo@gmail.com\nSummit County Courthouse\nCourtyard\n209 S. High Street\nAkron, OH 44308\n9:00am daily\nFacilitator: Karl Nejdl\nknejdl1371@icloud.com ( mailto:knejdl1371@icloud.com )                     \nWadsworth, OH\nTrinity United Church of Christ\n215 High Street\nWadsworth, OH 44281\n11:00am daily (11:30am on Sundays)\nFacilitator: Peggy Hegbar\nhegbarp353@gmail.com ( mailto:hegbarp353@gmail.com )\nHartford, WI\nBernd Park, near 911 Memorial\n115 N Rural Street\nHartford, WI 53027\n9:00am daily\nFacilitator: Jim Schlief\njames.schleif@gmail.com ( mailto:james.schleif@gmail.com )                  \nFlorence, KY\nFlorence Government Center Veterans Memorial\n8100 Ewing Blvd\nFlorence, KY 41042\nFacilitator: Susan Diamond\nsdiamond@florencechristian.org ( mailto:sdiamond@florencechristian.org )         \nFor questions about Witness Tree locations, please contact Elyse Kemmerline at ekemmerlineWJH@gmail.com ( mailto:ekemmerlineWJH@gmail.com ).[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Witness Tree in the News:\nTrees bear witness to tragedy of veteran suicides ( https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/11/trees-bear-witness-to-the-tragedy-of-veterans-suicides.html )\nVeteran hangs 22 dog tags on tree in Ohio every day for mental health awareness ( https://www.10news.com/lifestyle/veteran-hangs-22-dog-tags-on-tree-in-ohio-every-day-for-mental-health-awareness )\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]\n
URL:https://wjhm.org/events/the-witness-tree/
CATEGORIES:WJH
LOCATION:Various Locations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://wjhm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/stock-dog-tags-tree.webp
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