Highground advances into new era with Welcome Center
By Valorie Brecht The Highground Veterans Memorial Park near Neillsville is poised for a strong future, as it has a new Welcome Center aimed at enhancing visitors’ experiences and deepening their connection to the site’s mission. The larger building will provide more room for exhibits to tell the stories of veterans, and a gathering space for educational programs and support services that improve the lives of veterans and their families.
“The park has its own healing acumen. Our mission is to honor, educate, and heal, and some of that healing is through the park, but this is also giving people an opportunity to come to the park year-round and learn something through the museum or the programs that we have,” said Highground Executive Director Chris Pettis. “We’re really wanting to do more for the individual, not just the veteran but the families and those that support them, and also those within the community.”
Since the park’s inception in 1984, several needs have come up along the way that have hindered the park’s ability to reach as many people as it could. These include the need for a proper indoor gathering space for Veterans Day, Honor Stone, and other ceremonies in case of inclement weather. The park has also long been crunched for space for its exhibits in the museum, limiting how many items can be displayed and making it hard to provide enough room for people to fully enjoy the exhibits. The park has also expanded its counseling and support services for veterans, but did not have a designated place for those meetings to occur.
Based on the needs presented, The Highground staff and board of directors began planning and fundraising for an expansion with the “Highground Rising” campaign in 2019. When COVID hit, prices went up, significantly setting back the scope of what they could realistically do. Initially, the plan was to build a welcome center separate from the existing museum and across the road, but the plan
Please see Highground, page 18
The Highground Veterans Memorial Park at W7031 Ridge Road, Neillsville, has a new Welcome Center with museum and event space. The public is invited to a grand opening and ribbon cutting May 2 at 4 p.m.
VALORIE BRECHT/STAFF PHOTO
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was changed to add on to the existing museum and scale down the building footprint. The new facility is 1,500 square feet smaller than the original concept, but still a sizable 6,000 square feet.
The Highground has already utilized the space for several events, including Highground Education Days in October, the winter veterans retreat, and the couples retreat.
“It’s nice having space and not being so cramped,” said Pettis.
The Highground received its building permit in September 2023 and broke ground on the new facility in December 2023. The construction process was a long one, with exterior work finally being completed on the building last month. Remaining items include landscaping on the exterior of the building, and some interior work. The east end of the building that used to be The Highground Museum is still being finished, including the counseling room and the chapel. They also need to add some furniture and furnishings.
There were three main reasons in Pettis’ mind for the expansion: — The Highground had outgrown its old museum space and needed a larger space with temperature, humidity, and light control for artifacts.
— It needed a space for mental health courses, retreats, and counseling.
— It provides a space to hold events in inclement weather. They have had to cancel stone ceremonies in the past due to the weather, which is especially disappointing for people who drive several hours and/or from other states to get to the park. Now, those ceremonies can be moved inside and continue. Previously, events were held in a two-car garage.
The expansion addressed all three of those areas. The new museum has the proper UV light protection, temperature, and humidity controls to preserve artifacts. The park is also in the process of digitizing the books for the Legacy and Honor Stones, so people will be able to search for their relative or loved one’s name using a kiosk at the museum. There is also more space for people to view the exhibits. Eventually, the whole building will have exhibits.
“We are hoping to change exhibits every three to four months. People will have a lot to look at when they come visit,” said Theresa Hebert, museum coordinator.
By reconfiguring the space, it will create more opportunities for veteran events and services. The new facility will have a designated room for veteran counseling, with the old sunroom becoming the counseling room. The old exhibit space will still have exhibits and may be turned into a library. What was once part of the museum will be turned into a chapel, and will feature exhibits from The Highround’s chaplains. The old kitchen will become the staff break room. The downstairs of the welcome center (what was the library) will be used for more storage and event items. There will be also be three staff offices upstairs.
The new configuration will allow for more space for retreats as well. The Highground owns a four-bedroom house just down the road from the new building, and the staff offices that were in that house are being moved to the new building. By doing that, it frees up the house to be used for retreats.
“We will be able to house more people and more volunteers. So, volunteers might be able to stay on site for a retreat instead of having to find their own housing,” said Hebert.
In addition, one of the main features of the new Welcome Center is the theater room, which has a screen mounted on the wall for presentations or film viewings. The room has a garage door, which can be opened to allow for overflow seating. There are also TV screens and speakers in the lobby that can be synced to play a livestream feed, so if there is not enough room in the theater room, people can watch the speaker from the other room.
The theater room will be used for guest speakers or ceremonies that need to be moved inside due to weather. Eventually, The Highground plans to host a showing of “We Were There: Vietnam,” a film project in which approximately 90 veterans were interviewed about their experiences serving during the Vietnam War.
Not only will the theater space be used for routine events, but also for a new community initiative known as Community and Military Outreach, or CAMO. The Highground plans to feature monthly workshops and presentations, covering a wide range of topics designed to address the multifaceted challenges faced by veterans and civilians alike. On April 23 at 5 p.m., The Highground will host a financial literacy workshop. On May 14 at 5 p.m., there will be a suicide prevention/mental wellness training. On June 19 at 5 p.m., Sarah Blum will present on “Vietnam Nurse Experience.”
“We are open to ideas on any programs that would benefit Neillsville or the Clark County community, whether it’s education or an event,” said Pettis.
The initiative is in keeping with The Highground trying to expand its reach and get the community more involved. The Highground has been awarded a $700,000 Department of Administration non-state grant which is focused on community engagement. The Highground qualified for the grant based on existing programming, but hopes to use the grant to help the park benefit a greater range of people.
“The grant is focused on underserved populations in rural areas. The purpose is to be a positive addition to the community,” said Theresa Hebert, museum coordinator. “We will continue to promote education and recovery. The focus is still on veterans. But we do want to expand to help other populations that could benefit from some of our programs. For example, you don’t have to be a vet to experience PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). There’s not just veteran resources for mental health.”
“We want this to be a community partnership,” added Pettis.
The Highground has already used the space for a community event, as the AKF Martial Arts Academy hosted its Christmas party in the museum space recently. Pettis said he is open to hosting more of those events.
In addition, “We have a number of community engagement projects planned for this year already. For example, we will be making a community quilt. The goal is to have it on display for this year’s International Day of Peace ceremony on Sept. 21,” said Hebert.
The Highground staff is excited for even more people to enjoy the new Welcome Center and for the new opportunities it will provide for veterans and community members to connect and learn.
“We are thrilled to unveil the new Welcome Center and to continue our mission of honoring and supporting our veterans,” said Pettis. “This space represents our dedication to providing a place of healing, reflection, and education for future generations.”
“It feels like this (the new building) has refreshed us a bit and hopefully refreshed the community too,” said Hebert.
Current and upcoming events Museum The Highground Museum is open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Currently, the walls of the museum are displaying “My War,” a collection of photos that people took while serving in Vietnam. On the floor is the “Back in the World” exhibit, which is about veterans’ return home from serving, the painful memories or post-traumatic stress they carried with them, and their journey to recovery as they used art as a creative outlet. The exhibit highlights the artwork and poetry of veterans Bruce Canny, Harry Stritter, David Dvorachek, Jim Fox, Doug Olson, P.J. Bertz, Lenny Ellis, and Pete Kern. The exhibit also features a display with myths and facts about PTSD and an interactive display in which people can anonymously share experiences they have gone through that relate to others’ experiences. “Back in the World” will be on display until June 1.
Please see Highground, page 19
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Highground,
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Community quilt Anyone in central Wisconsin is invited to make a 14-inch quilt block showcasing their family history and traditions. There will be a workshop on April 6 at 1 p.m. for people to work on their quilt blocks, which will be combined to form an “Our Heritage” quilt featuring artwork from families throughout the area. RSVPs are requested by March 31, so event organizers have time to prepare the workshop supplies. Those who are interested in attending the workshop are encouraged to email Theresa soon at museum@ thehighground.org or calling 715-743-- 4224.
Spring Into the Arts The Highground will be a site on the Clark County “Spring Into the Arts” tour April 25-26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with work from veteran artists as well as local artists on display, including beaded and brass jewelry, carved wood items and historic weaponry reproductions, candles, and bird baths and other outdoor pieces. Tours of the park will take place at noon each day.
Grand opening There will be a grand opening for the Welcome Center on May 2 at 4 p.m. The public is invited to come and view the new facility. The ceremony will feature a ribbon cutting and presentation highlighting the history and future vision of The Highground, after which guests will have the opportunity to explore the new space.
Donations The Highground is continuing to seek donations to finish the work on the Welcome Center and ensure strong financial footing for years to come, as the park seeks to offer more programs and resources for veterans.The total project cost is $4.2 million. Of that, $2.4 million is for the building itself. As of January, $1.9 million had been raised.
For donations of $1,000 or more, a dog tag will be added to the donor wall in the entryway of the facility. The wall recognizes donations made at varying levels, including “Fireteam” for a donation of $1,000 or more; “Squad” for $5,000 or more; “Platoon” for $10,000 or more; “Company” for $25,000 or more; “Battalion” for $50,000 or more; “Regiment” for $100,000 or more; “Division” for $250,000 or more; and “Fleet” for $500,000 or more.
Donations of any amount are appreciated. People can make a donation by visiting the park during the museum’s open hours, or mailing a check to The Highground, W7031 Ridge Road, Neillsville, WI 54456 and writing “building campaign” in the memo line.
More about The Highground The Highground currently has six staff members. It has a mission to “honor, educate, and heal” veterans, their families, and all who visit. Specifically, they aim to honor veterans for their service through the many outdoor tributes and stone ceremonies; educate the public about the sacrifices made through the museum, tributes, and programs; and help veterans along their healing journey, whether that’s facilitating opportunities for veterans to connect with other veterans, providing counseling and other resources, or offering a tranquil outdoor space for reflection.
VALORIE BRECHT/STAFF PHOTOS
Above, the donor wall has dog tags to recognize all those who have donated to support the building project at The Highground. Top right, the new museum space has special lighting and humidity/temperature controls to protect the exhibits. Currently on display is “Back in the World,” featuring veteran art. The museum is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To right, the theater room can be set up for guest speakers, movie showings, or other community events.
