MILFORD, Del.- The Milford Garden Club unveiled a tribute to the U.S. military and veterans this morning with the dedication of a Blue Star Memorial outside the Delaware Veterans Home.
Blue Star Memorials can be found nationwide, including in Alaska and Hawaii.
The program is run by the National Garden Clubs Inc. and began with the planting of 8,000 Dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II.
Linda Peters, a member of the club, shared, "It was a dream of ours to have this dedicated memorial to the armed forces, so this is the culmination of a lot of effort."
Fundraising played a crucial role in making the memorial possible, along with a generous donation from U.S. Navy veteran Tom Peters.
During the ceremony, Peters received special thanks for his significant contributions.
"Seeing Tom's face when I gave him the thank you and the miniature of the Blue Star Memorial was well worth what we've done," expressed Milford Garden Club President Margie Huntzinger.
Peters said he finds purpose in honoring veterans and active military.
"It's been a long time since we've been recognized. It's really nice, very heartwarming, and gives you something to live for," he said.
The Milford Garden Club has a close partnership with the Delaware Veterans Home. Each year, they refresh the flowers ahead of Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Now, they will also maintain the new Blue Star Memorial and its garden.
Delaware now boasts a total of nine Blue Star Memorials, including ones in Bethany Beach, Smyrna and Seaford.