Beachaven Garden Club, Clarksville Garden Club, and Les Candides Garden Club, members of The Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., District II, invite the public to join us for the dedication of a Blue Star Memorial Marker on Monday, November 9, 2009. The Blue Star Memorial Marker (BSMM) honors all men and women who have served, are serving, or will serve in the Armed Forces of the United States.
The dedication ceremony will take place at 10:30 A.M. at the Montgomery County Courthouse, 1 Millennium Plaza, in Clarksville TN. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the dedication free of charge.
The project was made possible by donations from the members of Beachaven Garden Club, Sandra Watson, President; Clarksville Garden Club, Pat Arendt, President; and Les Candides Garden Club, Edith Hudson, President. We want to show our deep support and appreciation of those who have defended our freedom in the past, those who are at great risk in defending us today, and those who may do so in the future.
The Blue Star Memorial Program of the National Garden Clubs, Inc., began in 1945 to honor the men and women serving in the Armed Forces during World War II. The name was chosen for the iconic Blue Star appearing on flags and banners displayed in homes, churches, and businesses to honor sons and daughters away at war. Garden clubs envisioned a ribbon of living memorial plantings traversing every state. The designation of Blue Star Highways was achieved through petitions to state legislatures and through cooperation with Departments of Transportation. A uniform Memorial Marker was designed to identify the highways.
The Blue Star Memorial Program has grown to extend thousands of miles across the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Markers continue to be dedicated each year, not just on highways but at veterans’ facilities, National Cemeteries, parks, and civic historic sites. The Memorial Markers are a fitting tribute to show our appreciation for the men and women in our Armed Forces who fly our skies, sail our seas, and guard our shores, service members who stand ready at a moment’s notice to defend our country.
Annette Shrader, Chairman of the BSMM Dedication Committee, started this project in Clarksville last year. Annette is Past President of the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., Past Director of TFGC District II, and Past President of the Clarksville Garden Club.
For more information about the Blue Star Memorial Program, visit the National Garden Clubs website at www.gardenclub.org under Special Projects.
Bill, thanks so much for helping us get this word out. I hope we see many from our community tomorrow at 10:30 on the Courthouse lawn and that this beautiful weather continues to bless us for the outdoor event to honor our military community.