The Garden Class of WCCU dedicated a Blue Star Memorial
By-Way Marker at the 1756 Uwchlan Meeting House on October 7, 2016 in
conjunction with the 260th anniversary of the meeting house. The meeting house served as a hospital for
soldiers during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and is on the National
Register of Historic Sites. It is
fitting to place a By-Way Marker on the grounds to pay tribute to our
servicemen and women – past, present, and future. Funds for the marker were donated by the
Garden Class of WCCU and GCFP District I.
Members of the club used shovels and other garden equipment
that were donated by Ames Tools to unearth a large stone that was found near the
front door. The marker was attached to this stone and secured to the site.
Mary Whitesel, Chairman of the Garden Class of WCCU, officiated.
VFW Post 845 and Chester County Marine Corps League Detachment 286 provided the
Color Guard, Chaplain, and Bugler and the Chester County Veterans Affairs
donated flags for the ceremony. Pat
Gaines, Uwchlan Township Supervisor and a member of the Garden Class of WCCU
gave the invocation and Barbara Fleming, President of The Woman’s Community
Club of Uwchlan lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Tom Ames, Adjutant VFW Post 845, presented a brief history of
“Lionville’s Military Support, Then and Now”; Doug Forsythe, Chester County
Marine Corps League Detachment 286, expressed gratitude for the recognition of
our servicemen and women. The complete History of the Blue Star Memorials was
included in the Program for reference. Will
Thompson, Ben Kuhn, Barrett Baker and Lara McDowell, members of the Lionville
Middle School Patriots Club, did the unveiling, with honorees Wally Bradford,
Uwchlan Conservation Trust (UCT) board member and Peggy Hartwick, UCT board
member and the longest active member of the Garden Class of WCCU. Dedication of the Blue Star By-Way Marker was
presented by Mary Jo Schlomann, GCFP Officer and member of the Garden Class of
WCCU, followed by the Tribute of Flowers. The program concluded with a
Benediction, Taps played by Dan Fitzpatrick, and Retiring of Colors.
Also attending were members of the Garden Class of WCCU,
parents of the students, Lionville Middle School Patriots Club advisers and
principal, members of the Uwchlan Conservation Trust, members of the community,
and Sandy Manthorpe, GCFP District I and Eastern Blue Star Chairman.
A reception in the meeting house was hosted by the Garden
Class of WCCU. Acme Markets, Giant Food Stores, LLC and Pickering Valley Feed
and Farm generously donated food and flowers for the event.
We are proud to have dedicated the first Blue Star Marker in
historic Uwchlan Township. And how fitting that it is attached to a stone that
was ‘growing’ outside the building our club calls ‘home’.
