https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zeave-1b09653
This is the fifth and final episode of Writes of Passage: Stories of Service, presented by Mil-Tree Veteran Project. Produced by Dawn Davis, the series features conversations with participants in Mil-Tree’s recent Writes of Passage program, which ran from February through June 2026.
Mil-Tree is a nonprofit organization based in Joshua Tree, California, that fosters community among veterans, service members, and civilians through the arts, dialogue, collaborative projects, and creative entrepreneurship.
Writes of Passage brought participants together for a weekend retreat, writing workshops, performance coaching, and live storytelling events, all offered at no cost through support from the California Arts Council Community Impact Grant and generous community donors.
In this final episode, Dawn Davis turns the microphone on me.
I share my experience participating in Writes of Passage and the story I chose to tell—an account of volunteering with Raleigh International in Tanzania. At sixty-eight years old, I found myself hiking through unfamiliar terrain, living in a rural village, and working alongside people from cultures very different from my own.
What began as an adventure became something far deeper. The experience challenged my assumptions, tested my resilience, and expanded my understanding of service. It also reminded me that meaningful human connection often begins when we step beyond what is familiar and allow ourselves to be changed by the people we meet.
In our conversation, Dawn and I explore storytelling as a form of service, the lessons I carried home from Tanzania, and why curiosity continues to guide both my work and my life.
Participating in Writes of Passage was a remarkable experience. I am deeply grateful to Dawn Davis, the Mil-Tree team, my fellow participants, and everyone who helped bring the program to life. The journey reinforced my belief in the power of storytelling to build understanding, connection, and community.
Driftwood Conversations is honored to support Mil-Tree and help share these stories.
Produced by Mil-Tree Veteran Project with support from the California Arts Council Community Impact Grant and generous community donors. Shared in partnership with Driftwood Conversations.
Hilary Sloane- Journalist and Photographer 