June 6, 2011

Dear Friends,

Many of you are aware of my work over the past year to restore and save the Medal of Honor Grove located at the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Last fall, more than 1,000 volunteers from throughout the region joined me and three Medal of Honor recipients to clean up the historic veterans memorial site. Our objective was not only to restore the site to a condition befitting our nation’s greatest heroes, but also to ensure that it be properly maintained in perpetuity, as intended by its founders.

I had the honor of being joined by Medal of Honor recipient Major General James E. Livingston, USMC (retired) and Wally Nunn of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation during our cleanup last October. General Livingston and Nunn have been key allies in our efforts to preserve and protect the Grove.

Today, I am proud to announce a major development in our efforts: the formation of The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove, a nonprofit organization that will maintain and care for the historic memorial site.

The creation of The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove is the result of a partnership with the Freedoms Foundation that will allow the Friends group to improve, enhance and take over maintenance of the Grove. The Freedoms Foundation’s Board of Directors was impressed by the outpouring of support during our cleanup days last October. Because the community came out in force and did such an incredible job, the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge has agreed to a statement of operating principles for the Friends of the Grove.

I’d like to invite anyone who participated in the cleanup or may be interested in joining the Friends of the Grove group to a joint event that I am hosting with the Freedoms Foundations to mark this important announcement on Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m. at the Medal of Honor Grove. We will be joined by two Medal of Honor recipients who have been pivotal in the development of the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove: retired Marine Corps Major General James E. Livingston and retired Army Colonel Walter J. Marm.

I also want to again thank everyone who came out to our cleanup days last October. Your efforts last fall – whether you cut down a tree, washed obelisks or plaques, gathered leaves or picked up sticks or branches made the difference.

In addition, I encourage those who may not be familiar with the Grove to come experience it for themselves. The 52-acre Grove is located at the rear of the Freedoms Foundations headquarters, just off Route 23 near Phoenixville. It is divided into one-acre plots for each state, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Each plot features an obelisk and metal plaques set in the ground, honoring Medal of Honor recipients dating back to the Civil War. It is a unique place where nature and history come together in a moving tribute to those who have received our nation’s highest military honor.

The creation of the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove is a great accomplishment, but our mission is not over. In fact, in many ways it has just begun. There will be challenges ahead. However, I have no doubt that we can count on the patriotism, dedication and determination of the myriad individuals whose hard work has made the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove a reality. In the words of President Abraham Lincoln, “Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.

Sincerely, Andy Dinniman State Senator - 19th District