On Sunday, organizations dedicated to providing services to veterans and first-responders – particularly services that are based in nature and outdoor experiences – gathered to share resources and raise awareness at Cathedral of the Pines in what is anticipated to be the inaugural Peaceful Warriors Summit.

Cathedral of the Pines Executive Director Michelle Lowe said one of the goals of the summit is to collaborate, and invite these organizations to use the Cathedral of the Pines grounds.

“The whole idea is real estate is hard to come by; we have lots of it. We have wonderful trails, beautiful gardens. It’s a place of peace, solstice and tranquility,” Lowe said.”With that in mind, there are so many veteran partners that are looking for land, can’t find land, looking for housing, can’t find housing, and we as an organization have (space) that we can offer these partners.”

The summit on Sunday included brief presentations from a number of service providers, particularly those who have a focus on movement, health and outdoor experiences, including mountain-biking, kayaking, fly-fishing, equine therapy and yoga.

As part of the program, visitors were led on a guided hike through some of the cathedral’s trails.

“The biggest piece is to amplify the impact across the region. Let’s use our space to bring everyone together,” Lowe said.

Honoringa Peaceful Warrior

As part of Sunday’s events, the Cathedral of the Pines took a moment to honor Roy Dennington, who died in February, as an example of the spirit of the “Peaceful Warrior.”

Dennington volunteered for the Army after graduating from college, and served between 1966 and 1968. He was an infantry officer who served in Vietnam. Following his retirement, he became an advocate for other veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

His daughter, Leigh Dennington, spoke on his behalf, noting that her father would have thought both the concept of the summit and the fact that he was being honored was “wonderful.”

“I think he would be incredibly honored to be here,” she said.

Leigh said that growing up, she and her four siblings knew that Vietnam was an off-limits topic, and something her father just didn’t talk about. Her brother Jason once saw her father crying while visiting the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., but as soon as he saw his son watching, her father dried those tears as though they had never been. It was not until his retirement that he began to become more involved in helping other veterans process trauma, and that came after he became involved in an organization known as Yoga Warriors.

“What he enjoyed more than the yoga and the physical movement was the conversation and the stories,” Leigh said. “I have a distinct memory of my mom saying to me, ‘Yoga Warriors saved your dad.’ And as a young, early-20 year old, I had no idea that he needed saving. Not a clue.”

Belinda Morrone, a former Air Force nurse who met Roy Dennington through Yoga Warriors, presented Leigh Dennington with a Vietnam veteran coin in honor of her father.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.