First Purple Heart State Sign Erected in Washington After Advocacy of Centralia Resident and Others
Jul. 25—Centralia resident Mary Astrid was a consistent advocate for state legislation recognizing the state of Washington as a Purple Heart State.
Her work, and that of many others, helped result in the successful passage of House Bill 1250 one year ago as of Monday. The legislation called for "Purple Heart State" signs to be placed throughout Washington.
After reaching out to the Washington state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) last week, Astrid learned one of five signs acknowledging the declaration had been erected. The first sign is located at the Astoria-Megler Bridge.
"I made the drive yesterday afternoon," Astrid wrote to The Chronicle. "I gotta say it was a moment when I saw the sign, a three-year mission now visible. It brings honor to our men and women who made untold sacrifices and their families who care for them or experienced loss. Purple Heart State was birthed from Lewis County Purple Heart. I'm grateful for former Commissioner Edna Fund at the county level and Rep. Ed Orcutt for taking it to the state level. Most importantly I'm thankful for The Chronicle newspaper for keeping the Purple Heart State journey alive during the COVID years."
According to WSDOT, signs will soon be installed on Interstate 5 — northbound and southbound — at Exit 105 as well as another I-5 location near Vancouver and Interstate 205 northbound in Vancouver.
The first signs are a result of donations from Astrid, who donated $1,100 in memory of Robert Hanson, who was killed in the South Pacific during World War II, and from the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1889, which donated money to place signs on three entrances to southwest Washington state.
WSDOT does not directly collect the funds for the Purple Heart signs. Instead, funds are raised by the state Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) through donations. According to the DVA, the total cost of larger signs is $1,100 and the cost of smaller signs is $1,000.
According to the department's website, "Donors who fully sponsor a sign will receive a certificate to display in office locations and on social media sites."
The department's first priority is to use donations to place signs at the entrances to the state's 34 highways, though the department will place signs at other highway locations should an organization fully sponsoring a sign make such a request.
DVA's website states the Purple Heart Sign Campaign "further acknowledges the Washington States' gratitude to the men and women of the military who were killed or wounded as a result of an act of an enemy of the United States or in military combat."
For more information, visit http://www.dva.wa.gov/purpleheartstate.
To make a donation to the Purple Heart State Washington Highway Sign Campaign, mail checks or money to WDVA Purple Heart Sign Campaign, P.O. Box 41150, Olympia, WA, 98504.
