Dedication ceremony held for Local Heroes Garden in Veterans Memorial Park

WARWICK - Local elected officials along with representatives of the Warwick Police Department, Fire Department and Ambulance Corps joined volunteers and committee members on Saturday, June 25, for the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony of what has been officially named the Heroes Garden. The Heroes Garden, the brainchild of Bettye Hill and Maryann Peters, sits on village property at the top of Veterans Memorial Park facing Warwick Grove. The project has enjoyed the support of volunteers and several organizations. “We would like to thank the Warwick Valley Gardeners Club,” said Peters, “for approving and giving us a generous donation so that we could buy these beautiful trees.” Peters also praised her committee members Jane Madis, Maureen Chaurde, Linda Stambaugh, Haydee Atkins, Janet Hauser and Amanda Gerkins. “These ladies,” she said, “not only worked in the garden but they also donated plants and shrubs to Cathy Garafolo who drew up our landscaping design.” Peters and Hill were especially appreciative of those nearby residents of Warwick Grove who volunteered to come out and do the actual digging and cleaning along with fixing and painting the existing wishing well and in general, giving moral support. She singled out George Younes for heading the Warwick Grove resident volunteers. During the ceremony Peters also praised Lou Marquet and Leyland Alliance for donating the garden’s park bench and Mayor Michael Newhard for saying, “Yes” to all the committee’s requests. “We thank the mayor,” said Peters, “ for the mulch, cleaning up the picnic area and giving us a new water line for easy access to the garden. We also thank Bill Shmick and Bill Linberg and all the men at the Department of Public Works who worked so fast to get the garden ready for this dedication. “But most of all,” she added, “ we want to thank our honored guests, our local heroes. They are our police officers, our firefighters and emergency medical technicians. We want you to know how much we appreciate what you do for us each and every day. You never think twice about putting your lives on the lines for us. And we’d like this garden to be a daily reminder to let you know just how important you are in our lives.”

But most of all, we want to thank our honored guests, our local heroes. They are our police officers, our firefighters and emergency medical technicians. We want you to know how much we appreciate what you do for us each and every day. You never think twice about putting your lives on the lines for us. And we’d like this garden to be a daily reminder to let you know just how important you are in our lives.” Maryann Peters, one of the organizers of the Heroes Garden in the Village of Warwick