In honor of America’s 250th birthday, the Bethlehem Garden Club rededicated the Blue Star Memorial located along the Union Boulevard side of the Rose Garden Sept. 8. Veterans, an honor guard and rifle squad, Garden Club members and the public attended along with current and former elected officials, and the Nitschmann MS Band and Liberty HS Chorus to commemorate and rededicate the memorial that was originally installed April 27, 2018.

This is in tribute to all who have served and the families who support them,” said Bethlehem Garden Club president Rosanne Cilente.

Both the Nitschmann Band and Liberty Chorus performed a number of patriotic songs.

Garden Club rededication co-chair Birdie Makary explained the symbolic and cultural meanings of the red, white and blue colors and club member Jayne Shinko recited ‘The Debt of Gratitude’ by Catherine Pulsifer, a tribute poem for veteran appreciation.

A certificate of appreciation from State Rep. Jeanne McNeill was read by Nancy Jacoby.

Bethlehem City Council was represented by Justin Amman who was raised in a military family and former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, who offered his appreciation as the grandson of a U.S. Navy corpsman killed during World War II during the invasion of Okinawa.

Congressman Ryan Mackenzie presented a certificate of recognition calling the rededication “an opportunity to convey to our young people some of these lessons.”

Members of the Northampton VFW Post 4714 participated with an honor guard, a rifle squad and the playing of ‘Taps’ by Jim Olesak to close the program.