WHITE TWP. The sacrifices made by those in the military should be remembered every day, members of the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders said as they proclaimed November 10-16 to be “Veterans’ Awareness Week.”

“To me, every day is Veterans Day. We owe a debt of gratitude that really can’t be repaid,” Freeholder Richard D. Gardner said as the board voted unanimously to issue the proclamation.

“I can’t say enough in praising what they have done to give us the opportunity to live here in this country,” Freeholder Everett A. Chamberlain said of the nation’s military veterans. “This group probably deserves more recognition than anyone. They’ve given so much of themselves, so much sacrifice, their families have sacrificed, to protect our freedoms and the way of life we enjoy,” Chamberlain noted.

“The lives we live, the ability to get up in the morning and make the choices we make, to go to work, and send our children off in a safe world, are all as a result of the work these fine people have done through time,” added Freeholder Director John DiMaio.

DiMaio thanked the Warren County War Memorial Corp. for spearheading efforts to construct the county’s War Memorial next to the Courthouse in Belvidere. Dedicated 10 years ago, the memorial – three large panels of black granite – lists the names of all Warren County residents who died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War while serving their country. In 2006, two more stones were added to hold the names of those killed during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and so far three names have been added to those monuments.

The War Memorial also includes flags, benches, and a voice repeater system installed in 2000 so visitors can hear a recorded history of the monument and the names of those it memorializes.

“We urge all citizens to visit this Memorial and pay respect to the women and men whose names appear on this monument, as well as to all veterans who served their country during all wars,” DiMaio said.

Milly Rice, secretary of the Warren County War Memorial Corp., accepts a proclamation declaring November 10-16 to be Veterans’ Awareness Week in Warren County from Freeholder Director John DiMaio, Freeholder Everett A. Chamberlain and Freeholder Richard D. Gardner.

Milly Rice, secretary of the Warren County War Memorial Corp. and a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War, accepted the proclamation and thanked the freeholders for their continued support of the memorial.

Rice also asked any veterans in the audience at the freeholder meeting to stand and be recognized, telling those who did, “We appreciate your service.”

Rice noted the public is invited to events marking the 10th anniversary of the Warren County War Memorial, being held in conjunction with Veterans Day. On Saturday, November 8, a ceremony will take place at the War Memorial at 2 p.m., while at 5:30 p.m. that day a dinner/dance fundraiser for the memorial will take place at Belvidere Manor, Water Street, Belvidere.

More information about these events is available on the calendar found on the Warren County government website by clicking here.

WHEREAS, our memorial is a public place to pause, reflect and remember;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in recognition of the important work done by the Warren County War Memorial Corporation members, the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Warren does hereby proclaim the week of November 10-16, 2008 as Veterans’ Awareness Week and we urge all citizens to visit this Memorial and pay respect to the women and men whose names appear on this monument as well as to all veterans who served their country during all wars and in the hope that by remembering what the issues were in the past that they can be worked out in a peaceful manner for all future generations.

John DiMaio, Director
Richard D. Gardner, Deputy Director
Everett A. Chamberlain, Freeholder