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The Washington Township Parks & Recreation Department wishes to express our over- whelming gratitude to the fifty Morris County Distinguished Service Medal recipients, to their families, to all veterans and current soldiers who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and to those who have served in conflicts since WWII including Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Somalia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Haiti, including those soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. On Saturday, May 28th at the Washington Township Senior Center Veteran’s Memorial located in Rock Spring Park over 600 area residents gathered to show their support and to express their appreciation to those who have given service and have sacrificed for our expressions of freedom.

Our invited guests included all veterans, members of the American Veterans’ Association of Washington Township, and our three key speakers Colonel Patricia Refsdal, Colonel Jose Leyson, M.D. and Major Anthony DeStefano, residents of Long Valley. US Congressional Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen began the speeches with a moving tribute to all those who have served past and present and made a special reference and expression to Joanna Wroblewski, the widow, of Second Lieutenant John Wroblewski and to his family.

Invited elected officials present were Assemblyman Guy Gregg, Assemblywoman Alison McHose, whose husband, Morgan McHose, received a medal, in addition Morris County Director of the Freeholders Jack Schrier and fellow Freeholders Margaret Nordstrom and Doug Cabana awarded the newly created post Vietnam medals to this year’s recipients along with Washington Township elected officials Committeewoman Kim Ball Kaiser, Vice Mayor Walter Cullen and Committeeman Tracy Tobin. The Morris County Distinguished Service Medals and Certificates originated from the freeholders in 1999 and is issued by Charles Jurgensen the Morris County’s Veteran’s Coordinator.

The colors were presented by a contingent of Marines from Group G-Second Battalion, 25th Marine Regime with the Long Valley Girl Scouts and Long Valley Boy Scouts performing a Flag Ceremony with re-enactors from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Charles Prestopine, Pat Fancera, Dave Davenport, Bob Blanchard and a youth flag bearer. An opening prayer was led by Father Michael Drury, and a poem “In Flander’s Field” was recited by veteran John Smith.

A rifle salute was performed by the re-enactors, music was performed by West Morris Central High School’s Loreleis and Noteworthys, with Ray Millhime, Commander of the Washington Township Veterans Association, accompanied by Washington Township Scouts executed the wreath laying, the playing of Taps by veteran Mort Brett and the formal folding of our flag was done by Joseph Logan reading a tribute to our flag as fellow veterans Wayne Marks and Ray Millhime folded the flag as Veteran Dominic and his wife, Martha, released doves as a symbolic gesture.

At the conclusion of the ceremony the song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was performed by the Loreleis and the Noteworthys inviting those attending to enjoy the free lunch that was made available by these generous donations from Broadway Bagel, Chester Meat Market, Dominos Pizza, Mama’s Pizza and Restaurant, Masterfoods, Pepsi Cola, Phil’s Pizza, Valley Pizza and a grant provided by the Washington Township Municipal Alliance.

Special appreciation is extended to Kennedy Engineering of Long Valley who provided an array of audio equipment and support staff, Teens Against Crime, the Kiwanis, to the Long Valley Boy Scouts their leaders and the Long Valley Girl Scouts and their leaders for pins, decorations and patriotic bill boards by Troop #83, Anna Kasperowitz, Bianca Basch, Rachel Ciniewicz and Alice Jerman, made to display the letters and notes written by Long Valley school children to be sent to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Special thanks and gratitude to Blue Ridge Lumber, Design Options, Home Depot, Shop Rite, the West Morris Central Veterans Oral History Club, Tracy Tobin, Shirley Shields the American Veterans Association of Washington Township, the Washington Township Committee, Washington Township Fire Companies, Washington Township Police Department, Washington Township First Aid Squad, Washington Township Recreation Committee, Washington Township DPW, Washington Township Senior Transportation, Parks & Recreation and a local ground control aircraft association were present to display their aircraft and answer questions or provide information on behalf of the veterans and community. There was military memorabilia on display in the senior center provided by the local veterans.

At 3:15PM there was the dedication of the Sydney L. White Playground Equipment. This tribute was done in memoriam of Sydney White a young Long Valley resident and made possible by donations.