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Ticket sales from Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert benefits Candy’s Place

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Stephen Payne: Ringling Bros.’ animals are well cared for, despite columnist’s ‘unsupported’ claims

<p>After the horrors of Middle East combat missions, Erik Olson needed a tonic for his soul.</p><p>The Hazleton-area resident appears to have found it in nature.</p><p>In the stillness of the woods, tucked in a deer stand beneath Pennsylvania&#8217;s comforting canopy of familiar oaks and maples, retired Staff Sgt. Olson realized he could breathe again. Sounds such as the cluck of a turkey calmed him, he said. Wind, water and wildlife combined to bring the warrior solace, ever so slowly minimizing his prolonged sensation of being on edge.</p><p>Now Olson aims to help fellow combat veterans across the United States achieve a similar internal peace.</p><p>As host of a television program called &#8220;<a href="http://www.couragehealsthesoul.com/" target="_blank">Warrior Summit Outdoors</a>,&#8221; which began airing locally almost two years ago on Hazleton&#8217;s WYLN TV 35, he accompanies vets into the great outdoors, sometimes in pursuit of fish or game, sometimes not. Participants might simply kayak, roam in off-road vehicles or otherwise enjoy nature&#8217;s splendors. Always, however, the real quarry is this: emotional healing.</p><p>The outdoors show, for which Olson&#8217;s wife and WYLN employee Tiffany Cloud Olson serves as executive producer, started reaching a national audience this month; TV network <a href="http://youtooamerica.com/" target="_blank">Youtoo America</a> has slotted the program for 3 p.m. Sundays. The network reportedly enters about 35 million households.</p><p>If all goes as planned, the Olsons will create 26 episodes this year. &#8220;I&#8217;m proud of my husband because he&#8217;s still running missions,&#8221; Tiffany Cloud Olson said. &#8220;The mission now is to look out for his brothers and sisters on the homefront.&#8221;</p><p>Erik Olson knows firsthand the difficulties of adjusting from the role of soldier to civilian. &#8220;When you spend so many years in combat,&#8221; he told Times Leader writer Tom Venesky for <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/sports/504287/erik-and-tiffany-olsons-warrior-summit-outdoors-show-focused-on-helping-wounded-veterans" target="_blank">an article in Sunday&#8217;s edition</a>, &#8220;what is perceived as normal life becomes alien.&#8221;</p><p>Too many former servicemen and women struggle alone with the transition. For some, emotional issues go untreated, resulting in homelessness, addiction, depression, even suicide.</p><p>Erik Olson believes camaraderie can make a difference, as combat veterans come together around duck blinds, deer rubs and campfires. Beneath the flickering stars, recipients of medals for valor, or Purple Hearts or unseen scars can listen to each other&#8217;s stories, or listen to only the silence of night, and perhaps again hear their own heartbeats as a new &#8220;normal&#8221; settles in.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s what worked for me,&#8221; Erik Olson said.</p><p>In the months ahead, thanks to this inspiring couple&#8217;s efforts, others might find a trip outdoors with Erik Olson equally restorative.</p><p>We hope all involved &#8211; participants and viewers &#8211; can find the courage to reach new summits.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hazleton-area resident Erik Olson, at right, escorts combat veterans into nature for hunting, fishing and other adventures as part of the television program &#8216;Warrior Summit Outdoors.&#8217; His aim is to promote healing. For more information, visit www.couragehealsthesoul.com. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Olson3-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hazleton-area resident Erik Olson, at right, escorts combat veterans into nature for hunting, fishing and other adventures as part of the television program &#8216;Warrior Summit Outdoors.&#8217; His aim is to promote healing. For more information, visit www.couragehealsthesoul.com. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div></div>

Our Opinion: Locally produced outdoors show points combat veterans toward deer, turkeys and potential healing