The Wellington Garden Club will dedicate a Blue Star Memorial Marker on Monday, Nov. 11 at 8:30 a.m. at the Wellington Veterans Memorial at the corner of South Shore and Forest Hill boulevards.
The Blue Star Memorial Marker program has been in existence through the garden club movement for more than 70 years. National Garden Clubs Inc. is committed to placing Blue Star Memorial Markers on highways and byways in honor of the U.S. Armed Forces.
At the close of World War II, National Garden Clubs — called the National Council of State Garden Clubs at the time — like other public-spirited groups were seeking a suitable means of honoring service men and women. Garden Club members visualized a living memorial, preferring to help beautify and preserve the country these men and women had fought for, rather than build stone monuments in their honor.
While it originally began to honor World War II veterans, the program enlarged its mission in 1951 to include all men and women who had served, were serving or would serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The tribute line on the Blue Star Memorial Marker reads: “A tribute to the Armed Forces who have defended the United States of America.” This appears on all Blue Star Highway and Memorial Markers.
The public is invited to attend the dedication and visit the Wellington Garden Club tent to learn about all the activities that the club participates in, such as high school, college and camp scholarships for environmental studies; Habitat for Humanity; community beautification projects like the butterfly garden at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Environmental Preserve on Flying Cow Road; and the Junior Garden Club programs.
Learn more about the Wellington Garden Club by visiting www.wellingtongardenclub.org.
