Stephens Gets “Blue Star”
The Blue Star Memorial Marker is unveiled Wednesday by members of the Horti-Floral Garden Club.
Stephens County gets a blue star.
Wednesday, local officials and others gathered in front of the historic train depot in downtown Toccoa to unveil and dedicate a Blue Star Memorial Marker in Toccoa and Stephens County.
The Blue Star Memorial Marker program honors veterans and current and future members of the Armed Forces by placing markers on highways, as well as in other places.
Sponsoring the Blue Star Marker in Stephens County is the Horti-Floral Garden Club.
Libby Hartbarger is with the Horti-Floral Garden Club.
She said the club is excited and honored to be able to have this marker placed in Toccoa for all to see.
“The Blue Star Memorial Marker is a tribute to all of the service men and women in the United States of America,” said Hartbarger. “Those who have served, are serving, and will serve.”
The marker sits right in front of the location of the Currahee Military Museum, which focuses on the World War II paratroopers who trained at Camp Toccoa.
Stephens County Historical Society Executive Director Brenda Carlan said they are honored to have the marker at the museum, a location she said is perfect.
“It means more than you can imagine because this is visual proof for anybody that just rides by, if they think can ride by this little part of our downtown area and not see how serious we are respecting and thanking our veterans and active military, when you see the Blue Star status, (you know),” said Carlan. “It is a beautiful marker and we are very proud to have it.”
Also on hand for the dedication were city and county officials, along with representatives of the State Garden Club of Georgia and the national program.
National Blue Star Chairman Andrea Little said they are proud to join in placing a Blue Star marker in Toccoa.
Little said we must honor veterans not just at events like this, but honor them every day.
“As we cherish our freedom that they gave us, we must never forget them,” said Little. “In addition, we re-establish our commitment to honor all of our veterans and we thank them for their dedication and loyal service to our country and to ensure that each veteran knows that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices that they and their families have made in our lives to keep our country free.”
According to the website of the National Garden Clubs Inc., the Blue Star program began with the planting of dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II.
The website went on to say that in 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted the program and began a Blue Star Highway system that covers thousands of miles across the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Since then, the program has expanded and memorial markers and by-way markers were added to highway markers, to be used at locations like national cemeteries, parks, veteran’s facilities, and gardens.