Under the ground, near the on ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ's ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ Campus, lie thousands of bulbs, planted to honor the 58,175 U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War. The project was conceived by ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State Professor Emeritus Brinsley Tyrrell, as a complement to the May 4 Memorial and a way to honor those fallen veterans.
The grounds crew from ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State University Facilities Maintenance cares for the site year-round. But starting last year, ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State Grounds Manager Rebekkah Berryhill began the tradition of inviting veterans and anyone else who wished to participate in planting daffodil bulbs as part of the universityβs Veterans Day Commemoration. Berryhill said that her teamβs goal is to plant about 3,000 bulbs this fall, to bloom in the spring.
ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State Athletic's No. 1 supporter, "Super Fan" Heather Strittmatter planted a few bulbs
A Reflection of ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State's Core Values
The daffodil bulb planting offers an opportunity for members of ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State to come together as a community, to honor veterans and reflect on the tragic events of May 4 and how they resonate in todayβs world.
Itβs also a very literal βgrassrootsβ demonstration of the universityβs commitment to its core values of respect, kindness and the peaceful exchange of ideas. It is particularly meaningful that this community event takes place on the site that changed history and forged these core values. These are the values that provide the foundation of ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ Stateβs internationally lauded work in healing divided communities with peaceful conflict resolution.
βWe Appreciate the Opportunity to be Able to Helpβ
ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ State Air Force ROTC Cadet Kenny Strait and his fellow cadets were part of ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ Stateβs Veterans Day Commemoration ceremonies on the Student Green. Afterward, he and some other cadets, sophomore nursing major Caden Roberts from Galion, Ohio and senior business major Aniliss Woodford from Puerto Rico, came to Daffodil Hill to assist in the planting. Strait, who is a senior physics major from Massilon, Ohio, said, βI think this a great opportunity to honor the veterans who gave their lives, both those who are with us and formerly with us. It's a beautiful event to honor everything they've done for us, and we appreciate the opportunity to be able to help.
Photos by Bob Christy, senior photography coordinator, University Communications and Marketing. Video introduction by Gracie Ford, a sophomore digital production major from North Canton.