Gold Star Monument In HdG To Go By Lighthouse

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — The city of Havre de Grace made headway this week toward creating a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. The first-of-its-kind memorial in Harford County will be located near the Concord Point Lighthouse.

Havre de Grace Mayor Bill Martin and Harford County Executive Glassman presented checks totaling $20,000 this week to go toward construction of the memorial.

The purpose of the monument is threefold, according to a statement from the city of Havre de Grace: "When completed, the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument will honor Gold Star Families, preserve the memory of the fallen and stand as a stark reminder that freedom is not free."

Gold Star families are those who have lost a loved one to war.

“There is pain and sadness that never goes away for family members who lose a loved one that is serving in the line of duty. Whether it is a mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, husband or wife, this pain is forever. In Havre de Grace we take our patriotism and our respect for those who serve very seriously.”

The cost of the structure is $65,000, and so far nearly 70 percent of that has been raised, The Aegis reported.

The monument will be near the entrance to the promenade.

Ground was broken on Sept. 11, 2017, and a public dedication is planned for June 17. The Committee for the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Havre de Grace is coordinating the project and has set up a place for online donations toward construction of the memorial.

RELATED: Gold Star Monument To Honor Harford Military Families Who Lost Loved Ones

Checks for the Gold Star Family Memorial Monument were pressented at the Jan. 16 city council meeting with the following in attendance, left to right: Harford County Executive Barry Glassman, Executive Director of Maryland's World War I Centennial Commission David Craig, Craig Reeling, Johnny Boker, Mayor William T. Martin and Major General Randy S. Taylor. Photo courtesy of Havre de Grace.