Who just put a Blue Star Memorial By-Way Marker in Somerset County?

STOYSTOWN― Patriot Park is now part of a nearly 80-year-old program that honors the service and sacrifice of our nation’s military in a colorful way.

On Monday, members of the Somerset Garden Club welcomed its district members and representatives of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania to Somerset County to dedicate and unveil a Blue Star Memorial By-Way Marker at the Patriot Park entrance.

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A steady rain forced the dedication ceremony indoors at Forbes Trail Brewing Co., next to Patriot Park, where the group of about 35 people met for lunch before the dedication program began.

The rain stopped briefly as the program ended, which gave members of the Somerset Garden Club and Leeanna Ryba, president of the state federation, the opportunity to unveil the Blue Star Memorial By-Way Marker and take photographs.

What is the Blue Star Program?

According to the National Garden Clubs, Inc. website, the Blue Star Program began in 1944 in New Jersey and was adopted in 1945 by the national organization to honor “all men and women who serve in the United States Armed Services.”

In her remarks, Ryba told the group that the state federation is committed to installing Blue Star Memorial Highway Markers along the highways and rest stops at all of Pennsylvania’s state borders.

"There are only a few sites left (about six) without these markers," she said.

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Karen Faust, chair of the state federation’s Blue Star program, then gave a brief overview of the national Blue Star Program, which includes the placement of highway markers (at highways and rest areas), memorial markers (at national cemeteries, Veterans Administration medical centers and other civic locations) and by-way markers (at parks, historic sites and other civic locations).

“The program keeps going,” she said. “That’s the beauty of it. Thoughts of our servicemen never go away.”

Faust also encouraged the group to visit these Blue Star markers when traveling across the state, and for friends from other garden clubs to do the same.

Deb Stumpf, director of District VI, which includes nine garden clubs in Somerset, Cambria, Bedford, Blair and Indiana counties, said she was impressed by her first visit to Patriot Park. She noted that she has a nephew who is a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

“This is very important to me. I am very happy Somerset (Garden Club) is putting (a by-way marker) in,” Faust said as she officially dedicated the Blue Star Memorial By-Way Marker at Patriot Park.

In addition to the official Blue Star marker, the park’s display includes red angel wing begonias, white sunpatiens, blue salvia and a dogwood tree to welcome visitors to Patriot Park.

‘A great and noble experience’

Clair Gill, chairman of the Patriot Park Foundation, said the flags at Patriot Park represent each of the more than 7,000 service members who have died since Sept. 11, 2001, in the Global War on Terrorism. He then shared a quote left in the visitor area by a veteran who visited Patriot Park: ‘We want to live for those we could not bring home with us.’

“We have (here) what we think is a great and noble experience,” Gill said. “We hope all who visit find comfort.”

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Randy Musser, founder and president of Patriot Park, accepted the marker and thanked the Somerset Garden Club for its efforts to support the park’s mission.

“Patriot Park means an awful lot to those who visit,” he said. “We’re teaching people about patriotism.”

State Sen. Pat Stefano also thanked the garden club members for its efforts to support those who serve in the Armed Forces.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset Garden Club unveils Blue Star Memorial marker at Patriot Park