FLORENCE, Ky. — The City of Florence kicked off its new veterans event Tuesday aimed at honoring veterans who die by suicide.
The city is partnering with Florence Christian Church to host The Witness Tree event at the Boone County Veterans Memorial on the Florence Government Center campus.
The event, piloted in Pennsylvania before spreading to other states in recent years, lasts 11 days, ending on Veterans Day. It consists of daily ceremonies lasting about 15 minutes.
Because an estimated 22 veterans take their own lives each day across the country, 22 dog tags will be placed on a tree each day of the event in their honor.
Victoria Wells, community services coordinator for the city of Florence, said each dog tag will be blank, but community members are invited to write messages or names of veterans on them before hanging them on the designated tree.
"I think the main purpose of the program is to bring in veterans, bring in family, bring in anybody who has been touched by a loss and also to raise awareness in our communities that we have an obligation and responsibility to make resources available, to welcome our veterans home and to share in the responsibility of the sacrifices they made," Wells said.
Each ceremony will open with readings from a speaker and include time for thought and reflection.
At the end of the eleven days, 222 dog tags will hang in honor of lost veterans.
Wells said the tree will become a mainstay at the Boone County Veteran's memorial even after the event ends.
Ceremonies start at 8 a.m. daily.
Additional resources will be available for participants. For more information, you can contact the Florence Administration Department at 859-647-8177.
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day. Just dial 988.
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