Blue Star Memorial Marker

Dedication

Honoring with Grateful Hearts

Those Who Defend Our Freedom

 

Sponsored by

The Garden Center of Valdosta, Inc.

and

Camellia District Garden Clubs

in cooperation with

The Georgia Department of Transportation

and

The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.

This Marker was dedicated on Saturday
11 November 2017.  It is located at the
Georgia Visitor Information Center
Interstate 75 North of the
Florida-Georgia State Line

A Very Appropriate Event for
Veterans Day 2017

An example of the Blue Star that a Family
of a Military Member that is serving the USA.
This symbol was first used during
World War II

The Blue Star Memorial Marker Chairman
The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. Jan Thiese
started the Dedication with a Welcome
to All Attendees

The Color Guard from
Valdosta State University
Air Force ROTC prior to the
Presentation of Colors

The Dedication Attendees

The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.  President Jane Hersey
also Greeted the Attendees

Helen Huddlestone, Camellia District Director
The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.
delivered a Welcome

The Invocation by Mr. Edwin Blalock

The Presentation of the Colors and the
Pledge of Allegiance and The
National Anthem

Rita Hightower, President
The Valdosta Garden Center, Inc.
Introduced the Speaker

 

The Dedication Speaker
Colonel Allan A. Ricketts
United States Army
Retired

The Youngest Attendee at full Attention
to the Speaker

The History of the Blue Star Memorial Program
was presented by Martha Price
Blue Star Memorial Marker Co-Chairman
National Garden Clubs, Inc.

The Presentation of Certificates to the Marker Sponsors.
Each Sponsor was given a Certificate from the
National Garden Clubs, Inc.

The following Garden Club Members as they prepared for
the unveiling:
Martha Price, Jane Hersey, Rita Hightower and Helen Huddleston

The Unveiling

Hilda Seymore accepted the Marker on
behalf of the Georgia Department of Economic
Development and the Georgia
Department of Transportation

Helen Huttleston and Rita Hightower
Place the Tribute Wreath

The Dedication Closing Prayer -  an appropriate
verse from "Eternal Father" was sang by Chief Petty Officer
Alan F. E. Thiese, U. S. Navy, Retired

A representative of the Patriot Guard Riders
also attended the Dedication

The Group Picture of the Dedication Participants

The National Blue Star Marker Co-Chairman, Martha Price
The Blue Star Memorial Marker Chairman, the Garden
Club of Georgia, Inc. Jan Thiese and
Susi Keller, Blue Star Memorial Marker Co-Chairman
the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.

These two Veterans also attended the Dedication.
They were tourist who happened to stop by
the Georgia Visitor Information Center

 

Fall 2017 Driveway Plantings

7 November 2017

 

After viewing the Driveway for about month after the Summer Plants had passed today I determined that I must improve the Curb Appeal of the Home where we live.  I visited a locally family owned Garden Center and was determined to acquire plants that would last the Winter and be something beside mums and pansies.  After looking for a few minutes and talking to the Owner I determined that I would purchase two of the following plants, one for each planter on each side of the drive way.  A total of six plants for six planters.  I already had an adequate supply of potting soil so after spending $66.00 I had plants of a size that I thought would look good for the driveway planters.

 

A before view!

Another before view!

I acquired two Rosemary, two Nagoya White and two Nagoya Red plants.
They are shown here in the bed of my pickup so you an appreciate the
scale of these plants.

The "After" view.  I am confident that this planting will look great
all Winter.  Certainly much better than what the planters
looked like prior to doing this small landscape project.