Groundbreaking for The Gateway to the gardens Thursday, November 13 at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Veterans Valor and Morris County Park Commission Announce Groundbreaking and Launch of The Gateway to the gardens
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 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—and embrace of—all who have served.”
Media are welcome. Interviews and photos will be available on site.