Lac Courte Oreilles/Hayward Community ‘Healing Field’ Ceremony Scheduled Sept. 20

First Healing Field Nationwide to Show Strength Between Native American and Non-Native Community

HAYWARD, WI – A ceremony will be held at the Lac Courte Oreilles/Hayward Community Healing Field® at the intersection of Highway K and Highway B, Sept. 20 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The event will feature speakers and attendees present to show recognition of the strength between the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe and Hayward communities. This will be the first Healing Field® of its kind between a Native and Non-Native community with both nations’ flags flying side-by-side.

As many as 625 arranged flags have been posted at the field for public viewing since August. The healing field culminates in the closing ceremony Sept. 20.

Those slated to speak at the event include: Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Chairman Gordon Thayer (keynote), Sawyer County Commissioner Hal Helwig, Sawyer County Sheriff Mark Kelsey, LCO Tribal Police Chief Tim DeBrot, Ojibwe Spiritual Leader Jerry Smith, Wesleyan Church Pastor Mark Wilson, and school superintendents. Students from area schools will be on-hand as well as the Hayward High School Choir from the Hayward schools and a youth drum group from Lac Courte Oreilles.

Healing fields were a common sight in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, but have since taken on other roles with the goal of displaying solidarity and raising awareness for different causes throughout the nation.

Community sponsors for the Lac Courte Oreilles/Hayward Community Healing Field® include: Beehive Botanicals, Chippewa Valley Bank, and Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Government.