The Vidalia Garden Club is offering the Miss-Lou community a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women who have served or are currently serving in the United States military.

As the Garden Club’s beautification project continues for Vidalia’s “Blue Star Memorial” area located on Carter Street next to the Concordia Chamber of Commerce office, a bricked area will be installed and enhanced with concrete benches on each side.

The project calls for approximately 500 bricks to fill the 12-feet by 12-feet area, and each may be purchased and engraved in honor of or in memory of a military service member.

The bricks will be sold for $25 each, and purchasers may select three to four lines of information, which could include the honoree’s name, rank and possibly the years of service or the war in which he or she may have served.

The national Blue Star Memorial Program began with the planting of 8,000 dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II.

Just a year later, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted the program and began a Blue Star Highway system, which covers thousands of miles across the Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.

Throughout the ensuing years, a large metal Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker was placed at appropriate locations along the way, including the Vidalia marker which was installed with the assistance of the Vidalia Garden Club.

“We’re hoping that many will see this project as an excellent way to honor their sons and daughters, spouses, grandparents and others for their service and commitment to our country,” noted VGC President Mary Huhn. “This will provide a permanent reminder of the honorees’ sacrifices, as well as the donor’s deep appreciation for their service.”

For some, she added, this would make an excellent Christmas gift.

For further information or to purchase an engraved brick, contact project chairwoman Ann Thompson at 318-336-5018 or Kathleen Stevens at 318-336-7057.

 

Kathleen Stevens is a member of the Vidalia Garden Club.