From our hearts to yours

By Roger Gavan
WARWICK — Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Mayor Michael Newhard, members of Knitting Our Warwicks Together, VFW Post 4662, the Warwick Sesquicentennial Committee and many other contributors assembled at the Albert Wisner Public Library on Thursday, May 3.
They were there to attend a brief ceremony as the Rev. Richard Marrano, parochial vicar of the Church of St. Stephen, the First Martyr, blessed 664 hand-crafted poppies, now shipped to England from Track 7 courtesy of Cedric Glasper, president of Mechanical Rubber.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, which brought an end to the First World War on Nov. 11, 1918.
The United States declared war against Germany on April 6, 1917; 346 soldiers from Warwick fought in France for about a year and seven of those heroes did not return.
But for the United Kingdom, which was Great Britain and all of Ireland at that time, it was the fourth year of the war.
And by the time of the Armistice, which ended the fighting on Nov. 11, 1918, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment alone had lost 11,610 lives.
'In Flanders field ...'As Memorial Day approaches and, later this year, Veterans Day, recall the words that the poet John McCrea wrote about the First World War:
"In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place, and in the sky, the larks, still bravely singing, fly, scarce heard amid the guns below."
Last year Newhard welcomed the Mayor of Warwick, UK, Stephen Cross, and his wife, Christine, to the celebration of the village's 150th anniversary or Sesquicentennial.
Two Warwicks, two communities, connectAs a result of the continued correspondence between Sesquicentennial Committee member George Arnott and Cross and his wife, the committee learned that there was a campaign launched at St Mary's Collegiate Church in Warwick, UK, to gather thousands of handmade poppies to make a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives. The church is home to the Royal Warwickshire Regimental Chapel.
A group of volunteers, organized by Knitting Our Warwicks Together Coordinator Pat Foxx and Albert Wisner Public Library Director Rosemary Cooper, agreed to meet periodically to knit poppies that would be sent to England.
The Warwick Valley Rotary Club donated $300 for materials.
The poppies will now be displayed at St. Mary's alongside those donated by members of the congregation and beyond to commemorate one hundred years since the end of the First World War.
Both the Town and the Village of Warwick issued proclamations that will also be sent to Warwick, UK. And Sweeton, whose great uncle was killed in 1916 while serving with the Seaforth Highlanders, included a letter mentioning that fact.
In return, the mayor of Warwick, UK, will be sending letters and a package of their blessed poppies to Warwick, NY.
A formal presentation will be held at Warwick Cemetery on Memorial Day.