ROSCOMMON – Throughout the summer of 2019, Lori Darga, Roscommon County Veteran’s Affairs, hosted nature walks at the Gahagan Nature Preserve on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. The walks, which were dubbed, “Walk to Win,” provided Veterans of all abilities the opportunity to find a place of healing within nature.
“Gahagan was the perfect place for this event because of the wheelchair accessible paved loop trail that winds through cedar swamp and large white pines,” Lori said.
Darga attended the Gahagan Board of Directors meeting April 12 to honor the preserve for the partnership that helped Roscommon Veterans find a place of peace under the old growth whispering pines at the preserve.
Darga presented the board with a plaque that reads: “Roscommon County Veterans Affairs would like to thank Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve for their help in providing recreational programs for the Veterans of Roscommon County. We appreciate your partnership and look forward to working with you in the future.”
“Some people dream the dream. Some people live the dream. Some people defend the dream. God bless the defenders.” – Anonymous
Darga went on to inform the board of how nature can help ease the suffering some Veterans experience when they are released from the Military. Many were not prepared for what they saw during their service, or how they would feel after being released from a system that shaped their identify for many years. Once they are home, natural settings can help Veterans find solace, and a sense of honoring as well as being a part of the higher, creative power that exists all around us.
Join Roscommon County Veteran’s Affairs “Walk to Win” in 2021
Plans to continue to “Walk to Win” this summer at the Gahagan Nature Preserve are underway. Please plan to join Lori on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Memorial to Labor Day at 5 p.m. to unwind and begin to bring the day to a peaceful close under the trees at the preserve. In support of the program, the Gahagan Education Team plans to join the walks twice a month to answer any questions about the preserve, tell stories about the surrounding habitat and to just have a little forest fun.
Contact Darga at 989-275-6047 or dargal@roscommoncounty.net to learn more about the Roscommon County Veteran’s Affairs office. Visit the Gahagan Nature Preserve anytime from dawn until dusk at 209 Maplehurst Rd. Roscommon, MI 48653 or go to gahagannature.org.
