APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Veterans Day this year was a little extra special for the residents of a veteran-centric living community in Appleton.
On Monday, Wisconsin Veterans Village held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its Courtyard of Honor — a project that’s been years in the making.
This new outdoor space was thoughtfully designed to pay tribute to all who have served and to support the mental, physical and spiritual wellness of the village’s veteran residents.
Officials say the courtyard will serve as a place of peace, reflection and community engagement and offer residents an area to gather and reflect.
“It’s kind of like a serenity place — that’s kind of the idea behind it, to have a place where people can meet,” said Donald Carper, navigator of veterans services at Wisconsin Veterans Village. “We wanted to represent all services, so when you look at the pillars out there, you can see that they picked words that are a part of every branch in the military’s code of conduct.”
Carper said it’s a huge improvement, compared to what the area looked like prior to being renovated.
I wish they had before and after pictures,” he said. “It used to be just tall grass and water over there, and once in a while, you’d see a goose. And now we have this nice courtyard.”
The courtyard is lit up at night, as well. Carper said in the future, the courtyard may also be used as an event space.
The project was made possible with donations from community partners of Wisconsin Veterans Village.
Located on W. Glenpark Drive in Appleton, Wisconsin Veterans Village is a first-of-its-kind living community offering affordable apartment rentals for veterans and their families. Click here to learn more.
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