https://archive.triblive.com/local/murrysville/murrysville-garden-club-dedicates-blue-star-military-memorial-at-route-22-trailhead/
Murrysville Garden Club dedicates Blue Star military memorial at Route 22 trailhead
The Murrysville Garden Club typically raises money for student scholarships, hosts its annual garden tour and extols the virtues of a well-tended flower bed.
This fall, however, they decided to do something to honor local veterans.
“It’s a way for us to show our appreciation and respect for their sacrifices,” said club co-vice president Nina Damato of the Blue Star Memorial that was installed Sunday afternoon at the Roberts Trailhead just off the Westmoreland Heritage Trail in Murrysville.
The Blue Star Memorial Program was established by the National Garden Clubs group as a tribute to those who served and those who will serve in the nation’s military.
The memorial marker was dedicated during a ceremony involving the garden club, municipal officials, the White Valley AmVets Club 85, Murrysville American Legion Post 711, and officials from the Westmoreland Heritage Trails and Westmoreland County Parks and Recreation Department.
“We started discussing it over a year ago,” garden club Blue Star committee chairwoman Helen Wolfe said.
“We decided that here on the Roberts Trail Access of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail (in the 4300 block of William Penn Highway) would give us the most visibility,” Wolfe said. “It shows that we are in great gratitude to our men and women who have served, are now serving and will service the armed forces.”
The Blue Star Memorial was established by the National Garden Clubs Inc. in 1945 as living tributes to men and women who have served the country, said Corrine Babson of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania.
She said the Murrysville marker is about the 85th marker erected in the state.
“This is our first thing centered around veterans,” Damato said. “It’s something lasting, and I think that’s an important part of it. It will go beyond our membership and have a very long life.”
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick at 724-850-2862, pvarine@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MurrysvilleStar.
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