Recognizing Big Impacts of War in a Small Town

For four years, Mt. Hood Hospice has recognized those — Vietnam veterans, their family members and the people of Vietnam — impacted by Agent Orange with a small but meaningful ceremony around Agent Orange Awareness Day. 

The nationally recognized day, August 10, commemorates the anniversary of the first time the herbicide Agent Orange was used as a weapon of war in Vietnam in 1961. Mt. Hood Hospice outreach and volunteer coordinator Jolie Phanton led the ceremony on Monday, Aug. 11, with more than 20 people gathered in Veterans Memorial Square in downtown Sandy, despite the heat. 

“As we gather around this statue — a symbol of the courage and sacrifice of all veterans — we prepare to light candles not just as a gesture of remembrance, but as an act of awareness, of unity, and of enduring respect,” Phanton said. “The flames will stand for the lives: the soldiers exposed in war, children born with illness, the families forever carrying the weight of these scars.”

Aside from members of the Mt. Hood Hospice staff, members of the city of Sandy staff, as well as representatives of the Sandy VFW Post and Auxiliary and the local Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association attended.

“Agent Orange is a chapter in our nation’s history during the Vietnam War that cannot be forgotten,” Phanton explained.

“To the veterans among us — especially those who served in Vietnam — we thank you. You deserve more than our gratitude. You deserve our voice, our advocacy, and our unwavering support. And to this community — thank you for showing up. Your presence, your participation, your care — they matter. They remind us that even in a small town, we can shine a light bright enough to reach those still in darkness.”

Mt. Hood Hospice offers several different programs, including the We Honor Veterans program, which is dedicated to recognizing and serving local veterans. For more information about the organization and its programs and events, visit mthoodhospice.org.