AVM News and Updates
Historical Review Evokes an Empowering Response
MOUNT OLIVE—President George Washington, one of history’s greatest generals, once said, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, is directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”
Mount Olive Middle School 8th grade social studies teacher AnnaMarie Marro understood the value in providing to her students another perspective on the benefits and undocumented successes of our military presence and intervention...
AVM Board Members Welcome AFJROTC Program, Cadets…
NEW JERSEY–MOUNT OLIVE–The setting at Mount Olive High School has become a little more patriotic these days now that they have acquired their very own Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFJROTC) program. The program is focused on building citizens of character and is good for anyone regardless of their future intentions. This was an excellent acquisition for not only Mount Olive’s young adults who may be considering a military career, but for anyone who is interested in actively learning leadership skills and bolstering their confidence for the future.
AVM Opens the Poppy Project Workshop to Public
NEW JERSEY – The All Veterans Memorial is offering poppy workshops to the community and is encouraging local organizations, churches, teachers, businesses, or private groups to participate. Open workshops will be held at Michaels at the ITC Shopping Center every Thursday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. beginning after the first of the year. It is a community effort to show support to the newest addition to the park, the Veterans Remembrance Wall.
The custom poppies are made from polymer clay that was donated by the Sculpey Company in Elk Grove, ILL. White clay is provided to those who lost a family member in war, while purple poppies are reserved for the fallen canine.
AVM Expands Site with Veterans Remembrance Wall and Poppies Galore
MOUNT OLIVE TWP. – The AVM has been expanding every year to be an all-inclusive memorial site with a dozen elements. The latest addition to the growing park is the Veterans Remembrance Wall, which will provide veterans a place to hold vigils for fallen comrades and/or to honor our nation’s POWs and MIAs.
A war-torn setting will set the overall landscape of the memorial. Indigenous material will be used to blend the memorial with the existing Seward Mansion, which can be seen from the memorial site. Replica period items carried by warriors from each period of war will be embedded into the ruins. A 36” diameter world globe will denote the geographic area of each war fought and will also serve as a burn unit for vigil ceremonies.
Weekend Event Pays Respect to Yesteryear’s Battles … Hope for the Future.
NEW JERSEY – The AVM and the Second NJ Civil War Brigade have joined forces to make the unveiling one of the most memorable moments in history. On October 21, 2017, re-enactors from across New Jersey and Pennsylvania will be setting up four eras of battlefield encampments throughout the veterans park. The community will be given the opportunity to learn and interact with Revolutionary, Civil, WWII, and Vietnam War re-enactors. Each encampment will provide an accurate portrayal of the soldiers’ period speech and uniforms, meal preparation, preparation for battle, and even a couple fireside chats and sing-a-longs. Area Boys Scouts will be given a unique opportunity to join the re-enactors and even bring their own gear.
Local 'Eagle Scout' Returns to Sponsor MIA Cenotaph
NEW JERSEY—When the All Veterans Memorial Board of Directors aimed to expand the Presidential Preamble Stage and construct a 60’ barrier wall, they knew their proposal would directly affect a portion of Eric Wood’s Eagle Scout Community Project.
It was not until the AVM board members learned that the Turkey Brook Park Fire Pit had been designated as a commemorative gathering point and flag retirement ground for the local scouting organizations that they decided to ‘repurpose’ Wood’s flag retirement vault into a national MIA CENOTAPH. A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. Many, and specifically in this case, the MIA CENOTAPH will be dedicated to the countless missing U.S. warriors that never returned home from battle. The monument will be dedicated to all branches of service and all conflicts, battles, and wars. “The moment I was told how the vault would be used, I offered to fund the project," Wood added. “It is the least I could do."
AVM's Ten-Year Anniversary Celebrates History, Service and Donors
NEW JERSEY – On May 25, 2017, the All Veterans Memorial organizers will both celebrate a decade of planning, fundraising, and developing one of New Jersey’s most notable veterans' parks and dedicate four new monuments added to the veterans' park. Appropriately, ‘American Exceptionalism’ has been adopted by the AVM Board of Directors to be this year’s motto, which purports to represent the very ideals that the AVM was built on, as the ceremony and dedication will certainly reflect.
Honorary hosts of the event will be decorated WWII veteran, dog trainer, American author, and award-winning photojournalist William (Bill) Wynne, who will be joined by Veterans of Foreign War Post 8096 and New Jersey’s American Legion Post #154.
All Veterans Memorial: The People’s Memorial in Mount Olive
Patriotism is much more than brass bands, flags, or parades. More than pageantry for many, patriotism is a personal feeling. Featuring an appreciation and reverence, patriotism encompasses a quiet surge of pride and gratitude for the people who battled for America’s
freedom-- knowing that democracy and liberty are hard-won. It is a feeling that encourages caring, empathy and giving back.
Hundreds Gather To Pray, Honor and Memorialize, by Cheryl Conway
Close to 350 people gathered at the All Veterans Memorial Remembrance Ceremony on 30 May to honor military men and women who died while serving in the United States armed forces.
The 45-minute ceremony was held at the All Veterans Memorial in Budd Lake at 11:15 a.m. Through prayer, song, raising of the flags, speeches, placement of memorial wreaths and flowers, moment of silence, paver dedication and playing of “Taps,” the community came together on this breezy, hot day to mourn and remember military personnel who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect American freedom.
