Article and Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Before the ceremony, Veteran Roger "Stretch" Wright and Evergreen Garden Club President Lequita Lett posed to show the long and the short of it.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Lequita Lett, Evergreen Garden Club president, gave the welcome and served as master of ceremonies.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
The Vietnam Veterans of America Post 358 Color Guard posts the colors for the dedication.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Judy Laird of the Mesilla Valley Garden Club presented the history of Blue Star Memorial markers.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Suzy Andrego, New Mexico Garden Clubs Inc. president, offered greetings from the state organization.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Nancy Ketchum, Evergreen Garden Club member and New Mexico Garden Clubs Inc. District IV director, talked about the marker before unveiling it.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Ketchum unveils the memorial plaque.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
The Blue Star Memorial Plaque
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch accepted the memorial on behalf of the village.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Evergreen Garden Club member Elaine Warden made and laid a wreath at the base of the marker.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Don Spann, Marine Corps League Detachment 1328, plays Taps.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Everyone, veterans, garden club members and spouses, gathered for a group photo under the marker, with the U.S. and New Mexico flags flying behind them.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Lequita Lett and Suzy Andrego pose in front of the marker.
Blue Star Memorial Dedication 100616
Members of the Evergreen Garden Club pose with the state president in front of the marker.
The Silver City-Grant County Evergreen Garden Club was instrumental in having a Blue Star Memorial Plaque installed at the Bataan Memorial Park in Santa Clara.
The dedication was held on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, at the park.
The Vietnam Veterans of America Post 358 Color Guard presented the colors.
Evergreen Garden Club President Lequita Lett welcomed members and veterans. "Thank you to Jim Dines for playing bagpipes before the ceremony."
New Mexico Garden Clubs Inc. President Suzy Andrego brought greetings from other statewide garden clubs and said: "Thank you to the veterans who are participating and came to the dedication."
Judy Laird of the Mesilla Valley Garden Club gave a short history of the Blue Star Memorials, "which are unique to garden clubs. They first began to be put up along Blue Star Memorial highways after World War II. Hundreds of miles in the country are designated as Blue Star Memorial Highways. Then we began to design smaller plaques for local garden clubs who wanted to put them in parks and national cemeteries. This is the 21st Blue Star Memorial in New Mexico. The first was placed on a highway in New Mexico in 1962. Each marker is a gift from a garden club. As we travel the country, we recognize these. Every one for 70 years has been made at the same foundry, and each is a tribute to the Armed Forces of America."
Andrego dedicated the marker to the veterans of District 4 of the New Mexico Garden Clubs Inc.
Nancy Ketchum, Evergreen Garden Club member and District 4 director, said: "The Evergreen Garden Club joins with state and national club members, lest we forget those who kept us free."
Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch accepted the market on behalf of the village. "We are excited to accept this beautiful marker. We are thankful and grateful for our veterans for what they have done and continue to do. It's a wonderful memorial to those who have made so many sacrifices to defend our freedom. It's a great honor to accept this memorial."
Evergreen Garden Club member Elaine Warden created and laid a wreath at the base of the marker. "It was an honor to put this together and it is for our veterans."
Lett thanked veterans, saying: "We wouldn't be here, if it weren't for you. Why did we choose this place? Many from this area have given their lives and those who lived suffered diseases and illnesses from their time of service. We wanted to show our gratitue for their service." And directly to the veterans, she said: "If we as a garden club can help you, please let us know."
Anita Sperberg of the Evergreen Garden Club and a U.S. Army veteran gave the benediction before Don Spann of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1328 played Taps to end the ceremony.