WALKER, Mich. — An annual display to honor veterans who die by suicide is going back up along US-131 in Walker.
The American Legion and 22 A Day are teaming up to set up 22 crosses every day in a field just off the freeway. Starting Friday, July 11, the organizations will put up more crosses for 30 days.
In the end, 660 crosses will fill the field.
"We're trying to bring awareness to the crisis that is veteran suicide," said John Boylan, finance officer for American Legion Post 2 in Grand Rapids. "At the beginning it doesn't seem like a whole lot when you place the 22 crosses out. It seems minuscule, but at the end of 30 days in this field behind me there will be 660 crosses which represents 660 lives lost, and that's just in a 30 day period."
"At the end of the year it's over 8000 that we lose every year to to this crisis and it's up to us to to be the ones to fill that gap," said Boylan. "We can't rely on government to do it."
The American Legion runs a program called Be The One, which provides training to people interested in learning how to help veterans struggling with thoughts of suicide.
"It's OK to say, hey, are are you are you OK? you know, you know, can I help you? Can I get you some help, you know, because with the stigma of suicide," said Boylan.
"There's a lot that can be done even if it's just as simple as calling a veteran that you know and asking them how they're doing and whether the VA is taking good enough care," said John Luker with the organization 22 A Day.
"It's important because when people come out here and and they see crosses with names on them it's no longer a statistic," said Luker. "It becomes personal at that point and they know it's a problem that they can help solve."
Meanwhile, Boylan and others will be out each day until August 9. On Friday volunteers gathered to put the first crosses up and stand at attention as taps were played for the fallen veterans.
"We encourage people if if you've lost a veteran to suicide, we encourage you to come out, write that that loved one's name on a cross once it goes on this cross, it will stay on this cross forever," said Boylan. "If the cross has to be refurbished, the name will go back on the cross so we encourage the public to come out and join us. We set the crosses every day at noon."
