Groundbreaking ceremony Monday for Hopewell Valley Veteran’s Memorial

Event set for 2:30 p.m. at the Alliger Tract, adjacent to the Hopewell Township Public Works building, off Route 546

By Ruth Luse
   On Monday, May 29, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hopewell Valley Veteran’s Memorial will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the Alliger Tract, adjacent to the Hopewell Township Public Works building, off Route 546.
   In the event of inclement weather, all ceremonies will be held in the Public Works building itself, located just west of the township’s municipal building.
   The general public is being asked to arrive before 2:30 p.m. at the township complex, using the entrance to the sports complex off North Scotch Road. There will be signs and traffic controllers directing attendees to the correct parking area.
   Personal invitations have been sent out to a number of VIPs, who are being asked to check in at the municipal auditorium at 1:30 p.m. There will be light refreshments and viewing of photographs and articles featuring historic military events. These visitors later will be bused to the site of the ceremony.
   The mayors of all three municipalities — Vanessa Sandom of Hopewell Township, David Nettles of Hopewell Borough and James Benton of Pennington — are inviting everyone to join them on this occasion, when "all veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States, especially those who have made the supreme sacrifice" will be honored.
   All Hopewell Valley veterans are invited, of course, and asked, if possible, to wear uniforms or service baseball caps.
   A reception for those who attend will be held in the township Public Works building immediately following the groundbreaking ceremony.
   THE PROGRAM will begin with a welcome from township Administrator Bruce Hilling, U.S. Army, retired, who said of Monday’s event: "It will be a solemn day to honor all our fallen vets, but it will also be a joyous day as we begin the groundbreaking process for the memorial itself."
   Other program highlights are expected to include:
   — Presentation of colors, Hopewell Township Color Guard;
   — Invocation, the Rev. Linda Hale, Titusville Methodist Church;
   — Pledge of Allegiance, children of Hopewell Valley;
   — "Star-spangled Banner," Hopewell Valley Chorus;
   — Greetings by Mayors Benton, Nettles and Sandom;
   — Musical selection, Hopewell Valley Central High School choir;
   — Introduction of guest speaker, Mr. Hilling;
   — Principal address, Robert J. Maguire, civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army;
   — Veteran’s creed, Sevy Di Cocco, veteran’s committee;
   — Musical selection, Jim Curry, Montgomery Township police;
   — Presentation, Joseph Kianka, adjutant of Hopewell Valley American Legion Post 339;
   — Historical speaker, David Blackwell, chairman, Hopewell Township Historical Preservation Commission;
   — Floral wreaths will be placed by Mayors Benton, Nettles and Sandom.
   — Veterans of Mercer County will give the rifle salute, followed by taps and recognition of Hopewell Valley veterans.
   ABOUT MONDAY’S event, Mr. Di Cocco, who helped plan it, said: "It has been almost five years since the idea of erecting a Hopewell Valley Veteran’s Memorial was first mentioned at a Township Committee meeting and the time to act is finally here. During the past year, a group of veterans have been meeting and ‘brainstorming’ ideas. It was decided that it was time to schedule a groundbreaking ceremony for Memorial Day, May 29."
   The reason for 2:30 p.m. start time is to give veterans and people participating in the Pennington parade to join in the groundbreaking ceremonies, said Mr. Di Cocco.
   "For the past two months a group — consisting mostly of veterans — has been meeting on a weekly basis to plan for this great event," he concluded.
   Tom Blair, a former township committeeman and Titusville resident, said: "From revolutionary times through today, each person who has given his life to protect our freedoms should be memorialized in Hopewell Valley. From the 13 unknown revolutionary soldiers buried in Bucks County to the one Valley soldier who was killed in Iraq, it’s fitting that we recognize their sacrifice with a memorial."
   "Coming from a family of seven boys, all of whom have served in the armed services with an accumulated time of 50 years, it is very comforting to know that all veterans will finally be recognized in this community," said American Legion Post 339 Adjutant Joe Kianka.
   Hopewell Borough’s James H. Hall — national American Legion vice commander and longtime member of Hopewell Valley American Legion Post 339 — said Tuesday: "As a veteran and longtime resident of Hopewell Valley, I would like to thank the mayors and Valley officials for taking the first step Monday toward the eventual erection of a veteran’s memorial and also for giving it the title, ‘Hopewell Valley Veteran’s Memorial.’ The memorial will be a great addition to the history of Hopewell Valley."
   Police Chief George Meyer said: "Because I am not a veteran, I feel very honored to be able to play a small part in helping to move this project forward. The men and women who have served in the past, and who continue to serve this country, deserve our unending gratitude. At this time when our World War II veterans are getting up in age and when our young men and women are risking their lives daily, it is especially important to let all of our veterans know how much their service means to this nation."
   Mayor Sandom noted that the "Hopewell Valley Veterans Association, Inc., has been established and is in the process of obtaining approval from the Internal Revenue Service to become a non-profit organization under 501(c)(3). It is hoped that total funding of this project will be through tax-deductible donations from local corporations and the general public."
   For questions or additional information, call Mr. Hilling at 737-9104, ext. 664.