Londonderry News

At 9:30am on Sunday December 6, 2009 five Blue Star Mothers held the first Londonderry Wreaths Across America Ceremony on the historic Londonderry Town Common.

Opening with a minute of silence to remember the fallen, the prisoners of war, the missing in action and honor those who have served and are serving this great nation’s armed services, the common was still with monuments draped with fresh snow.  Following an opening prayer Joanne Paradis spoke on behalf of the Mothers.

Joanne Gillespie, Joanne Paradis, Diane Lucas, Kathy Kemp & Katy Jerome - Londonderry

We are gathered here today at this memorial site and memorial sites all across America and New Hampshire to remember that we are one nation with one flag.  We are all proud to be Americans that live in a free society made up of many people, many races, from many walks of life.  The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price. Lying here before us and in cemeteries throughout this nation are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear.  We can worship as we see fit.  We can raise our children to believe as we do.  We can travel from one end of this great nation to the other and not have to ask permission to go.  We are free to vote for whomever we feel should be in government office and we answer to no one but our own feelings.  We have the right to succeed and we have the right to fail at whatever we wish to pursue.  The United States of America was founded on the ideals of Freedom, Justice and Equality.  Our Nation stands as a shining beacon of liberty and freedom to the world.  We thank those who gave their lives to keep us free and we shall not forget you.  We shall remember.

Many of you are Veterans of wars and conflicts that America has had to fight to protect the

Al Sypek tapes the Blue Star Mothers on the Londonderry Town Common

innocent and oppressed.  America has always been the first nation to stand up for the freedom of people from around the world. Many of you here today have answered that call and served your country well.  We are here today to say “Thank You” and we are honored to know you.  There are many men and women serving today in all branches of the military, here at home and in places far away that most of us have never heard of.  These men and women are part of the best-trained, best-equipped force in the world.  We honor them and their families for the sacrifices they make each day to keep our country safe from terrorism, hatred and injustice that plague the world community.  When you see a Veteran or an active duty member of the armed services, take a moment to say “Thank You”.  We owe them our way of life, and a moment of your time that is well spent.

Quoting our 40th United States President Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Today we show a united front all across the United States of America as we Remember the Fallen, Honor those who serve and Teach our children the value of freedom.

Kathy Kemp and Katy Jerome will now lay a Christmas wreath in memory of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom, in honor of those presently serving in the military and in tribute to the United States Military Personnel whose last known status was either Prisoner of War or Missing in Action.
The wreath before you represents our commitment as a United America to remember the fallen.  This Christmas wreath symbolizes our respect to all Military Personnel, both past and present, and to their families who have endured sacrifices everyday on our behalf.  To our children, we want you to understand the freedoms you enjoy today have not been free but have come with a cost that someday, you may have to pay yourself.  As a nation standing together, we can defeat terrorism, hatred and injustice.  Thanks to our Veterans, we have the freedom to do just that.

This concludes our ceremony.  We, the Blue Star Mothers and our families, wish to thank all of you for helping us to honor those who have and are presently serving in the military.

Thanks to Producer Al Sypek for the great video footage of this first ever event and now a piece of history.

Like to learn more about he Blue Star Mothers?  Read our story, “Wreaths Across America in Londodnerry Sunday” for the full history. You will also find links to Wreaths Across America in this story.