A Community Memorial to Our Armed Forces
|
On December 31, 1999, we closed the Windows on Wellwood project to new purchases of commemorative stars, both the blue ones honoring those living or deceased veterans and the gold ones honoring those killed in action. The blue stars are now permanently mounted in a handsome display case on the west wall of the library’s main reading room.
All 5 gold stars are mounted directly on the stained glass windows There are stars for: In response to requests, the Board of Trustees has approved the continued sale of gold stars honoring those servicemen and women killed in action. The cost for the star and the imprinted certificate will remain at $100. Forms for gold star purchases will be available at the library after Veterans Day, November 11. We thank the following
supporters who have purchased Honor Our Veterans |
|
Early
in 1998, the Lindenhurst Memorial Library Board of Trustees began
discussing ways in which they could reinforce the message to our community
that this library is a living memorial to the veterans who perished
in the fight for the ideals of democracy. As we enter the new century,
there is concern that without a deliberate effort to honor veterans,
both deceased and living, their sacrifices will soon be forgotten.
In order to pay lasting tribute to our Lindenhurst veterans and to help beautify Lindenhurst, the Trustees inaugurated a project to design and install Lexan-protected stained glass memorial windows on the library's Wellwood Avenue window wall. The first meeting of the Windows on Wellwood project committee was held on September 24, 1998. Representatives from Lindenhurst's veterans' organizations, the library, the Friends of the Arts, and the community attended. The committee's task was to solicit and review original designs for the windows, select a stained glass artist to interpret the design in stained glass, and to raise funds for the project. Over the course of the year, many people worked to turn the dream into reality. On November 7, 1999, following the parade in Lindenhurst to commemorate Veterans Day, the memorial stained glass windows were unveiled and dedicated before an excited crowd of several hundred people. The Windows on Wellwood were designed, fabricated and installed on time in order to be dedicated at the traditional Veterans Day ceremony. The windows completely fill the window space in an area measuring approximately 22 feet by 7 feet on the Wellwood Avenue side of the library building, marking the successful completion of the project. As part of the fundraising effort, engraved stars were purchased to honor living or deceased veterans. In all, 245 blue and gold (for those killed in action) stars were sold. The 15 gold stars were mounted directly on the windows. Because there was not sufficient space on the the windows to accommodate all 230 blue stars, a special oak cabinet was constructed. This new display cabinet is located under three small stained glass windows which are adjacent to the large commemorative windows. The cabinet is engraved with the motto, "For Those Who Served", and was dedicated before a large gathering of veterans, legislators and community members on Memorial Day weekend, May 27, 2000. See
some of the detailed stained glass panels below
|
||||||||
Lindenhurst Memorial Library | 1 Lee Avenue | Lindenhurst, NY, 11757-5399 USA | Phone: 631-957-7755
e-mail: lindlib@suffolk.lib.ny.us
Back
to Lindenhurst Memorial Library Home Page
