"We don't want our kids to be forgotten."
Diane DeLuzio
Over the last three years, a volunteer effort has grown to build a unique memorial in Middletown. The first phase of the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial is near completion.
Veteran's Memorial Park in Middletown is located right off a quiet cul de sac. The city park takes up 40 acres, and includes a public pool, but beyond that, it's not heavily used. By this time next year, it could attract visitors from around the state when the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial is slated to be completed.
Sue Martucci, president of the project, said, "While we're planting the trees and installing the granite posts and plaques, this is Veteran's Park, and we are making this memorial for all of our veterans."
Since April, volunteers helped clear the field. Last month, four types of flowering trees were planted, one for the each of the 65 service members from Connecticut who were killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Diane DeLuzio is secretary of the group working to build the memorial. It means a lot to her personally, too. "Steven was number 52," she said. "He was killed on August 22, 2010." Steven is DeLuzio's son. "I was here the day they planted the tree," she said. "On the weekend, with my husband, we threw an extra shovel on top of it. In a way, we helped plant that tree."
DeLuzio's son died while serving in Afghanistan, making her a Gold Star mother. "One of the common themes among Gold star families is we don't want our kids to be forgotten," she said.
Another $500,000 is needed to finish the memorial next year, which will include a walkway and the installation of donor bricks and benches.
As the work progresses, the volunteers take time to mark what's been accomplished. This weekend, the families of the fallen service members have been invited to the park to see the trees and the newly placed granite markers. On each marker is a picture of their son or daughter.
You can learn more about the project here, including upcoming fundraisers to support phase two of the memorial.
