Honoring Our Veterans, One Brick at a Time

This article is written by Jared Eliot Middle School student Nicole DiStasio, as part of an ongoing writing program in which students pick a topic, write the article and have it published on the Clinton Patch.

The VFW, Veterans of Foreign Wars, has begun a project to replace the bricks at Post Office Square with ones that have veterans’ names on them. This is a great way to honor our veterans and their families, especially ones that do not qualify to be on a monument. People are very delighted to take part in this fundraiser. Families don’t even mind paying $40 for one brick!

Denis Macnamara, the one who proposed the original idea in the Madison branch, said, “… it gives veterans and families of veterans an opportunity to honor or be honored and remembered.”

The Madison branch of the VFW had started it in the spring of 2012. However, the Clinton branch did not propose the idea until September. The idea had been accepted right away by the VFW and the Town of Clinton.

The people were thrilled with the idea.

Mr. Macnamara said, “A woman pulled over in her car, right in the middle of the road. She got out, and went to the bricks to look for her father’s. All of a sudden she screamed, ‘He’s here, he’s here!’ It was very touching to see.”

This is even more heart-warming because it’s not for a specific division of the military. It’s for any veteran of the US Military; any rank and any type of service. Also, who ever heard of a $40 brick? That’s because any leftover money will be going to Veterans’ Charities as donations. For example, the money will be used for instruments for the Veterans’ Hospital and to help send packages to the soldiers.

When the bricks are completed in the spring of 2013, many people hope that the dedication ceremony will be like the Madison Branch’s, which had generals and political people to observe. It would be a great honor if possible.

Lastly, a special thanks to Lisa DiStasio for mentioning the Veteran’s Walk to me, Raymond Apel for organizing this for Clinton, Denis Macnamara for beginning this project in Madison, and the VFW for doing this. If you would like to purchase a brick, send a check of $40 to: 

Veteran’s Walk in Care of Raymond Apel

2 Partridge Lane

Clinton CT, 06413