Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

September 10, 2008, Front Page

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Meditation Stones placed at

The Highground?s Meditation Garden

By Peter Spicer

Eight Meditation Stones were placed at The Highground?s Meditation Garden Saturday, Sept. 6, (2008).

Family and friends of those who were honored with the stones attended the ceremony, which began with a Liberty Bell toll and the presentation of Colors.

Volunteer General Manager Kirk Rodman welcomed attendees; earth from the previous Legacy Stone ceremony was mixed with the earth from that day?s ceremony to form a connection between all Legacy Stones.

Six families dedicated one stone each; two families dedicated two stones each at the ceremony.

Those who sponsored Meditation Stones included Gerald and Donna Kuehn, Gordon and Lauretta Wagner, Jim Kasperek, Rodney and Jackie Wright, Daniel and Roberta Schield, and Nancy Rodman, Sherry McClelland, Linda Roselli and Judy Apple.

A Meditation Stone was sponsored by Daniel (standing, from left) and Roberta Schield in honor of longtime Highground Director Barbara Lynn Saturday, Sept. 6, at The Highground; Lynn passed away in 2007.  (Contributed photo/Clark County Press)

After Legacy Stones were placed, attendees formed a circle at the garden, and the color Guard presented Colors within the circle.  Names of Wisconsin soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan were read.

The vial of earth mixed earlier during the ceremony was passed from person to person; as the vial was passed, the person holding the vial was able to share his or her thoughts with the circle.  The circle was reversed when attendees greeted each other to conclude the ceremony.

The ceremony was a special one for Kirk Rodman, whose wife, Nancy, and Nancy?s sister honored their parents with a Meditation Stone, two of the Rodman?s children attended the ceremony as well.

?It?s a way for people to honor their loved ones,? explained Rodman.

The Meditation Garden, which was dedicated July 4, 2006, consists of four rooms, including the Prayer Stone, the Fountain of Tears, the Family Arbor and Meditation Shelter.  The garden provides a place of healing and hope.

A Fountain of Tears Statuary project is scheduled to be dedicated Memorial Day 2009, which is Monday, May 25 (2009).

The Highground still needs to raise $14,000 for the project but has raised approximately $111,000 of the $125,000 project, which has encouraged Rodman.

?We?re doing really well,? said Rodman.

The fountain features a soldier ? which is the genesis of the tears in the fountain ? carrying dog tags of a fallen soldier.  The wife and child of the fallen soldier will be displayed sitting on the edge of the pond at the end of the Fountain of Tears; they are connected to the soldier by the tears and separated by a bridge.

Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

September 10, 2008, Page 12

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Many honored with Legacy Stones

World War II veteran Clarence Miller?s family and friends honored him by placing a Legacy Stone Saturday, Sept. 6, (2008), at The Highground. The stone was one of 27 placed Saturday morning.  Over 200 attendees participated in a talking circle, where a vial of earth is passed from person to person; each person can share his or her thoughts with the group when the vial is passed.  (Contributed photo/Clark County Press)

Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

September 10, 2008

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Dale Kuehn honored with Meditation Stone

Donna (standing, from left) and Gerald Kuehn honored their son, Dale, with a Meditation Stone Saturday, Sept. 6, (2008), at The Highground. Gerald Kuehn is a Highground board of directors? member and longtime friend of The Highground.  (Contributed photo/Clark County Press)