The ‘Healing Fields’ Get a Helping Hand

Every September, thousands of veterans from across the country converge on 39 acres in Howard County, Indiana for a week of faith, fellowship, celebration and remembrance. For many with health issues, the journey is not easy, and the dusty paths inside the Howard County Vietnam Veterans Organization (HCVVO) campground make it difficult to breathe for those suffering from COPD and similar conditions. 

Aptly dubbed ‘The Healing Fields’ for what this place means to so many veterans, their families, friends and the public, it was time for this decades-old, cherished gathering place to receive some healing of its own. The organization reached out to the Howard County Highway Department’s engineer, Amber Tolle. Amber advised them to contact Ben Hardy, Platform Sales Liaison for Asphalt Materials, Incorporated, a Heritage Construction + Materials (HC+M) company. After a few conversations with the HCVVO and other HC+M companies, a plan was implemented to donate materials and labor to the project. 

“It humbles you. Every time I think about it, I want to cry. To think this is all for these veterans – donated – it’s unbelievable.” Jackie Myers, Events Coordinator and 27-year member of the HCVVO, had been in contact with Hardy to coordinate this much-needed project and could not believe the company was willing to donate the job to the organization. “Seeing how happy this organization is to receive this service and knowing how many people it’s going to impact makes it totally worth it,” said Hardy. 

The project, to Chip Seal a little more than one mile, totaling approximately 15,000 square yards, involved a lot of material – six trucks (12 loads/240 tons) of #9 stone from US Aggregates™, hauled by Milestone Contractors, 6,100 gallons of AE90S surfactant and 2,000 gallons of Fog Seal from Asphalt Materials – to be exact. The HC+M companies, in conjunction with the Howard County Highway Department, applied the Chip-Seal in one day. Two weeks later, Asphalt Materials added the Fog-Seal, creating finished roadways that minimized dust and debris – restoring the ‘Healing Fields’ to a place where all would be able to congregate and find peace. “Veterans are a high priority for us. Any time we have a chance to give back to these organizations feels good,” stated Doug Pierce, Vice President and Area Manager of Milestone’s Lafayette, IN region. 

“Our veterans deserve our respect. Donating our materials for this project was an easy “yes” – it’s simply the right thing to do,” stated Ross Larimore, US Aggregates Sales, Delphi, Indiana. For the veterans of the HCVVO and those served by the organization nationwide, the products and services donated by these HC+M companies will make a significant impact. “We’ve never had anything of this magnitude donated to us. It’s a true blessing – there are no words,” said Meyers.