MORRISTOWN, NJ – Veterans Valor, a non-profit dedicated to supporting veterans, and the Morris
County Park Commission (MCPC) will hold the official Groundbreaking Ceremony for “The
Gateway to the gardens” on Thursday, November 13 at 4:30 p.m. at the Frelinghuysen
Arboretum, a crown jewel of the Morris County Park System. The address is 353 East Hanover
Ave, Morris Township, NJ.
The event marks the start of planning and construction on The Gateway, the first phase of the
Veterans Valor Healing Garden—a multi-year, seven-garden development that will transform a
section of the Arboretum into a sanctuary of remembrance, renewal, and recovery. Fundraising
for the seven gardens will begin soon thereafter, engaging community members, individuals,
families, Rotary partners, and international supporters.
The groundbreaking also marks the public launch of Disarm PTSD, ultimately a national campaign
by Veterans Valor to change how the nation understands, treats, and supports those living with
the invisible wounds of war.
“The Frelinghuysen Arboretum is a place for the community to gather, learn, and heal, and the
Veterans Valor Healing Garden will greatly enrich that mission,” said Dave Helmer, Executive
Director of the Morris County Park Commission.
“Hearing the stories of any veteran—particularly those who have experienced PTSD—affirms the
need and dignity of this cause,” said Will Draper, Executive Director of Veterans Valor and
President-Elect of the Morristown Rotary Club.
“The Gateway is both symbolic and literal—it’s the opening to a living landscape dedicated to
veterans and their families, built through service, gratitude, and shared healing,” said Charlie
Iuliano, the landscape architect whose original vision inspired this mission.
The initiative is strongly supported by The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Morris
County, the Morris County Park Commission, Rotary District 7475, County College of Morris,
Atlantic Health Veterans and Allies Group, Fairleigh Dickinson University, local Veterans Services
Offices, and other major institutions in the community.
The project continues to gain momentum through collaboration among civic, veteran, and educational
organizations. “The Morristown Rotary Club is honored to stand alongside Veterans Valor and the
MCPC in bringing this meaningful project to life,” added Major Aaron Oliver, Chaplain of the U.S.
Army New Jersey National Guard and President of the Morristown Rotary Club. “These gardens
will be a lasting and profound testament to our respect for all who have served.”
Media are welcome. Interviews and photos will be available on site.