Oxford Garden Club proudly announces a Memorial Day Celebration on Memorial Day, May 27, 2019 outside at the Oxford Park beginning at 10:45am. This program will include the presentation of colors by the US Coast Guard from the Oxford Coast Guard Station, patriotic music provided by the talented Mid-Shore Community Band and a special, “Laying of the wreath” ceremony by the President of Oxford Garden Club President, Dorothy Williams and Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland District I Director, Doris Key.
This special patriotic program will feature key speaker, Lt. Colonel Jeff Unsworth, a native to Cambridge, MD., who has served in the United States Army for 31 years and has also served in the Army National Guard for nearly 28 years as an enlisted soldier, a non-commissioned and commissioned officer. He has served three overseas deployments with Operation Just Cause to Panama in 1989, Operation Desert Shield/Storm to Kuwait in 1990-1991 and Operation New Dawn to Iraq and Kuwait in 2011-2012. Jeff serves on Board of Directors for the Monarch Alliance which promotes native plants and gardens to assist pollinators, particularly the Monarch Butterfly. Jeff and his wife Laura also operate a small non-profit called, The BraveHeart Program which seeks to assist veterans, service-members and their families.
The ceremony venue will take place near the Blue Star Memorial By-Way Marker that was donated to Oxford by the Oxford Garden Club in 2007 in front of Town Park on North Morris Street in Oxford. Should rain be forecasted, the venue will be changed to the indoor venue at the Oxford Fire Company at 300 Oxford Road, in Oxford. A sign at the Blue Star Marker will indicate the move the morning of the event. Chairs will not be required for an indoor venue.
If good weather prevails, this hour-long ceremony will provide a terrific picnic opportunity afterwards so we recommend that you bring your family, some chairs and a picnic basket to enjoy the patriotic festivities and the fine festive music provided by the Mid-Shore Community Band with the lovely views of the water from under the large shade trees of the park.
The Mid-Shore Community Band is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization open to adults who play or have played band instruments, including high school students, if approved by their Music Director. Founded in 2009. They often perform for many public events and sport around 65 members whose patriotic concerts and well known to many counties in the eastern shore.
Oxford Garden Club is a member of District I of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc. and National Garden Clubs, Inc. and is committed to honoring those who have served our country. The Blue and Gold Star Memorials Program of National Garden Clubs honors all men and women that serve in the United States Armed Services.
The Blue Star Memorial program began in 1944 by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs planted 8,000 Dogwood Trees along NJ highways to create a living memorial for Veterans of World War II. National Garden Clubs adopted this program and began the Blue Star Highway Memorials system that covers thousands of miles across the Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Over the years this Blue Star Memorials Program was expanded to include all men and women who had served, were serving, or would serve in the armed services of the United States. Blue Star Memorial By-Way markers were also instituted and continue to honor our service men and women. These By-Way markers are placed in National cemeteries, parks, Veteran’s facilities and gardens. The Blue Star became an icon in World War II and was seen displayed on windows, flags and banners of homes, businesses and churches who had sons or daughters away at war. A gold star reflected the death of a service person in war.
Oxford Garden Club is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For additional information www.oxfordmdgc.org
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