Veterans gather at Highground’s Winter Veterans Retreat
The Highground hosted its second annual Winter Veterans Retreat Feb. 3-5. Both male and female veterans who served in different combat and era campaigns—from the Vietnam War to the present day—were introduced to unique indoor and outdoor activities. These ventures were designed to promote positive mental health through creativity, indulging the senses, reflection and physical movement.
“Many people experience progressive struggles with mental health issues, isolation and lack of physical activity during the winter months, which makes this Winter Retreat an especially important event,” wrote Liz Hamilton of The Highground in a press release.
Creative workshops guided by Bonnie Pettis, event coordinator at The Highground, were popular with the group. Bonnie demonstrated how hands-on artistic activities like painting a winter scene and making chocolate truffles can be powerful tools promoting focus, stress relief, joy and the satisfaction of creating something new. The group encouraged each other and had a great time. Many delicious chocolate truffles mysteriously disappeared during the workshop.
Veterans joined an ice fishing excursion Saturday morning on Mead Lake, expertly organized and guided by Marine veteran Skip Klabon, with the assistance of Dick Jacobson and Chad Klabon. This was the first time ice fishing for many of the veterans. Big Bear Down Sport Shop of Abbotsford donated the live bait for each veteran.
Also, as a way to give back and welcome veterans home, Henry Smith of Greenwood crafted personalized walking sticks for each veteran.
With the assistance of Spring Street Sports in Chippewa Falls, The Highground purchased snowshoes (to have on hand for future winter retreats) and rented several pairs for the veterans to use on the 4.5 miles of wooded trails at the park. Studies have shown that spending just two hours a week outdoors can have a mental health boosting effect that lasts for a week. The veterans got that much-needed boost by snowshoeing around The Highground and its trail system throughout the weekend.
“Post-traumatic stress (PTS) management conversations are an important part of all the retreats, and with the assistance of marine veteran Scott Schultz of The Heartbeat Center for Writing, Literacy and the Arts, veterans engaged in a journaling topic on Saturday afternoon that was impactful and healing,” wrote Hamilton.
Veterans were given effective tools to improve their communication with friends, family and other veterans.
“The opportunity for veterans to gather together and learn new skills/creative hobbies is important any time of year. It is especially helpful to be active, both socially and physically, in the winter as struggles with mental health issues can become more intense during periods of low or no sunlight and seclusion. The intent of this retreat is to offer a socially interactive event for veterans that includes ... activities that veterans will be able to continue with in their personal lives,” Hamilton finished.
Veterans left the retreat with “goodie bags” of items, including ice fishing gear, PTS management books, painting and other art supplies, journals, headlamps, compasses, retreat t-shirts and more. Of course, the veterans also took home their painted “winter scene” canvases and boxes of chocolate truffles.
The Highground expressed its gratitude to the many organizations and individuals that contributed to make the retreat a success.
Planning is already underway for the third annual Winter Retreat, scheduled for Feb. 2-4, 2024. If you are a business that specializes in winter outdoor activities and would like to be a part of the 2024 event, or if you would like to make a donation in support of the veterans retreats, email Theresa at museum@thehighground.us or call 715-743-4224.
Veterans go ice fishing on Lake Mead during the Winter Veterans Retreat.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
