The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony for Patagonia’s Blue Star Memorial monument at 1 p.m. on July 4 at Dr. Mock Park. The memorial will be located at the intersection of McKeown Avenue and Beaty Lane.
The Blue Star program is administered by the National Garden Clubs, Inc., and began during World War II as a tribute to the men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Murphy Musick spearheaded the local project and coordinated fundraising efforts. He envisions the monument serving as an enduring reminder of the sacrifices of the town’s military veterans and an educational resource for schools and youth organizations.
Musick for many years has worked with the Patagonia Museum to place flags on the gravesites of military veterans in the town cemetery on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. That involvement prompted him to research the Blue Star program.
The monument stands 3 feet tall and 4 feet across and will sit atop a 4-foot pedestal. The cost of the memorial is approximately $2,900, with the town contributing $1,000 in labor for the installation.
“I just started spreading the word,” Musick said. “Local people generously filled in the rest. I had to quit asking for money, people were so generous.”
He said the location at Dr. Mock Park is “the perfect place, like it was built for this project.”
Council member Steve Finch will represent the town at the dedication ceremony, which Musick describes as a “minor moment that will be there a long time, honoring the veterans within our community who we owe a lot to.”