The Evergreens Honors Veterans in the Community with Dedication of Special Service Plaque

Residents of The Evergreens, a continuing care retirement community in Moorestown, recently gathered to unveil a new plaque on campus honoring resident veterans, past and present, who have served in the United States armed forces – Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Merchant Marines and Coast Guard. The community celebrated the occasion with a formal gathering of residents and staff, as well as remarks from resident Richard “Dick” Meehan, who spearheaded the efforts to have the plaque made, and The Evergreens’ President and CEO, Doug Halvorsen.

“The real intention was to recognize the veterans that live and have lived here throughout the years,” explained Meehan. “In this day and age, I think it is important for people to know we have veterans right here at The Evergreens.”

Dick has been an avid supporter and advocate for the veteran population at The Evergreens. As a proud Korean War veteran, he has bonded with many current resident vets and has befriended many prospective new residents as a Resident Ambassador for the community.

In July 2008, Dick’s concern for the longevity of The Evergreens’ current resident veteran population led him to embark on a special project – Veterans Briefs – a published book which profiled 67 resident vets currently living at the community. Meehan led an effort to personally collect the stories of these vets, individually knocking on more than 300 doors in order to interview and document the background and experiences of these individuals. Since the original 67 resident veteran accounts were published, he has gone on to collect 105 stories.

“It dawned on me – I wonder how many of us are all here in the community,” said Meehan. “I never thought it would get this far. You would be surprised by how many of the relatives of these veterans would send me a message, saying ‘Thank you for doing this, we learned a lot about Dad/Mom and what he/she did in the service.’”

The Evergreens Veterans Plaque is placed prominently in the heart of the community – outside of LaMonte Hall, the community’s primary event and recreation space, close to the resident apartments.

“The sacrifice by members of the United States armed forces, both past and present, cannot be measured or properly recognized by mere words or a single action,” said Doug Halvorsen, President and CEO at The Evergreens. “We are blessed to have such a thriving veteran population here at The Evergreens. One small way we can continue to honor them is with this plaque, recognizing their service and remembering their bravery as they protected our nation.”

PHOTOS ATTACHED.

Captions:

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Doug Halvorsen, President and CEO of The Evergreens with resident Richard “Dick” Meehan in front of The Evergreens Veterans Plaque. Meehan spearheaded efforts to have the plaque made in honor of all veterans who have lived at The Evergreens and served their country in various capacities through service in the United States armed forces. This is one of many efforts by Meehan and The Evergreens community to shine the light on the vibrant group of veterans currently residing at the community, and express proper gratitude for their service to our country.

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The Evergreens Veterans Plaque, honoring resident veterans, both past and present, who have served in the United States armed forces – Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Merchant Marines and Coast Guard.

About The Evergreens:

The Evergreens was founded in 1919 in Bound Brook, NJ, by the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey. In 1949, it moved to Moorestown, NJ. Today, The Evergreens offers gracious retirement living continuing its more than 90-year tradition of caring. Since its inception, The Evergreens’ mission has been to enhance the quality of life of those it serves. For more information, visit www.evergreens.org.