Fallen Stars Memorial

Dedicated to the memory of the service members who have been lost in the conflicts in Iraq & Afghanistan.

International Walk to School Day October 12, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 am

Little Falls, NY

By David Robinson
The Evening Times
Thu Oct 08, 2009, 10:40 PM EDT

From the Little Falls newspaper- The Evening Times

It was perfect weather for walking Thursday, and Little Falls Middle School students took full advantage.
As part of International Walk to School Day, nearly 220 of the school’s 270 students, along with upwards of 20 teachers and staff,
walked the almost 1.5 miles up hill from Burke Park to the middle school.
Principal Bart Tooley addressed the group prior to their morning trek.
“This is probably one of the nicest things we can do as a school community,” he said.
The walk marked the second year the school has participated in the event, and officials felt the success is sure to make it a tradition.
Last year’s walk was consistently cited by eighth graders as one of their favorite memories of middle school.
“The walk is about taking the time to enjoy the community,” Tooley said.
In addition to the focus on “being healthy and well” and forming “lasting memories,” Tooley told the students the day’s walk was to
honor two soldiers who recently died while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
Thursday’s walk was held in honor of Army Staff Sgt. Nekl B. Allen, 29, of Rochester, who died on Sept. 12, and
Army Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, who died on Sept. 17.
The dedication was through the Fallen Stars project,
which encourages local community events to honor men and women who died while in military service to the country.
“I want everyone to take a moment and remember these two men that paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country so we can even do
something like this,” Tooley said, before calling for a moment of silence.
Little Falls City School District Superintendent Louis Patrei felt honoring the “fallen stars” could in some way provide solace for the families’ loss.
“All the pain and suffering sustained by the families, I hope for our children to remember gives the families some peace; to let them know the soldiers are not forgotten,” he said.

10-09 walk06.jpg         10-09 walk02.jpg

 

 

Walking, jogging for miles August 21, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 pm

 A Mother’s Mission

This was on the Today Show last week-

“Mother runs to honor soldier son”

“Today’s American Story
  A Mother’s Mission”

The story of Vivian White who is running miles-
actually 6500 – the number of miles from her
home in Illinois to her son’s post in Iraq.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32400846#32400846

Incidentally, she competed in the annual Boilermaker in Utica in July!

Way to go Vivian!

There is also an article in Sports Illustrated about her effort:

Going The Distance – 06.15.09 – SI Vault

Shared via AddThis

 

17th Annual Bike Rodeo honors Sgt. Uvanni August 21, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 pm

 

By Julie McCaulley

By Julie McCaulley

  Photo by Julie McCaulley Mohawk, N.Y.

               August 8, 2009

   Photo by Julie McCaulley     The seventeenth annual Bike Rodeo was all about safety, and all about having fun.

It was held at the Crowley-Barnum American Legion Post in Mohawk on Saturday morning,
and was dedicated to honor the memory of Fallen Star soldier Michael Uvanni.

Kids from toddlers to 14 years old saddled up, got properly helmeted and faced the obastacle
course  that wound through the parking lot of the Legion. Overseen by the Mohawk Volunteer
Fire Deparment,  each child was able to have their helmets and bikes inspected for safety,
and listened to department member Mark Sommer talk about the importance of being safe while riding, and knowing the rules of the road.

Competitors with the fastest time in each age division received a brand new bicycle.
 The American Legion  provided hot dogs, soda and ice cream to all participants.

  By Julie McCaulley

     Evening Telegram
     Mon Aug 10, 2009, 08:40 AM EDT

       

 

 

The Day of the Sgt. Shawn P. Martin Memorial Golf Outing August 7, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 pm
Waiting for the tournament to start
Waiting for the tournament to start

Friday, July 31, 2009, Pine Hills Golf Course

The day dawned gray and wet.  And it stayed that way.  There were about 150 people there to compete and those generous, caring golfers played on the wet greens throughout a day that refused to clear up.   

Mimi speaking to the waiting golfers
                                                               Spokesperson, Mimi Martin, speaking to waiting golfers

 As I reported previously, the proceeds were earmarked for “Issac’s Room” and played in the name of Sgt. Martin, USMC.  Shawn, by the way, did not golf.  He loved football and volleyball, which is Mimi’s passion. It was such an honor to have this tournament played in his name for the second year.  Thanks to the Frankfort (NY) Kiwanis, especially Irv Bunce, for the honor.

Prior to teeing off, Ray Lenarcic presented Mimi with a beautiful plaque in a heart shape in Shawn’s memory from the Frankfort Kiwanis.

 
Presented to Mimi Martin in memory of her husband
Presented to Mimi Martin in memory of her husband

Despite the rainy day, around $9000 was raised to assist a family with a child who is afflicted with a debilating disease.  Thank you to all of you who played last Friday. You are an inspiration!

 

 
 

This just in- Update on Issac’s Room July 26, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 am

While perusing the local newspaper, The Evening Telegram, Herkimer, NY, I saw an article titled, “Groups combine to build a room.”

As follows is an excerpt from that article:

“An Ilion area couple are hoping to build a room for their disabled son and they’re receiving a helping hand from the Frankfort Kiwanis and the Fallen Stars Memorial Project.
Proceeds from the Fallen Stars Memorial Project’s Sgt. Shawn Martin Memorial Golf Tournament, set for July 31 at Pine Hills Golf Course, will go to help build a room for 2 1/2-year old Isaac Skottke.”…..

To read the entire article follow this link:

http://www.herkimertelegram.com/news/x639775271/Groups-combine-to-build-a-room

 If all goes well, Issac and his family will be able to add the room to their home that will enable him to be more a part of  family life.

 

Issac’s Room July 25, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 pm
This was in my email inbox the other day.  A request from Ray Lenarcic to help a little boy and his family enhance the the little guy’s days.  Who among us could say no? 
Please read and let me know if this indeed tugs at your heartstrings.  I cried buckets.  Literally, buckets.

Isaac’s Room 

By R. J. Lenarcic
Webster’s dictionary defines hero as any person either admired for courage, nobility or exploits (especially in war) or for qualities or
achievements regarded as an ideal or model.  The word is often misused in describing individuals who frankly do not meet the defined     
 criteria.  A hero’s actions or achievements must be so exceptional as to set him or her apart from the rest of us. Sgt. Shawn P. Martin   was a hero.  The Delmar Marine was sent to Iraq in the spring of 2007 as part of an EOD (Explosives Ordnance Disposal) unit.  On June 20 that year, shortly into his tour, his bomb squad was sent to clear out an area where one of our vehicles had been blown up.  After over eight hours of nerve-wracking work, Sgt. Martin and Staff Sgt. Steve Wilson decided to check out one more area.  The explosion killed them both.

 We learn more about this American hero from his widow, Mimi, spokesperson for the local Fallen Stars Memorial Project.  The strapping (6’2-225 lbs.), dark-haired graduate of Bethlehem High played football, lived life to the fullest, rarely stopped smiling, was loyal to a fault to friends and family and loved amusement parks. As so often is the case, big, tough guys often have a gentler side.  Shawn loved to cook for Mimi and he absolutely loved children.  Mimi recalls walking into a room and finding her niece, Jordan, sitting on Shawn’s lap while he read her a story.  When recently asking her nephew, Jared, what he remembered about Uncle Shawn, he answered, “Pulling me up a hill on my wagon and helping me ride down.”  Whenever he returned home, he couldn’t wait to wrap those big arms around Jared, Jordan and Kiera, his sister’s daughter.  Sgt. Shawn P. Martin was 30 when he died for his country.

 Big Shawn would have loved little Isaac and the feeling would have been mutual.  The three year old son of Amy (self-employed farmer) and Mark (driver for Brown’s Feed) Skottke from Elizabethtown Rd., Ilion, has congenital myopathy.  The disease has trapped the toddler in a body incapable of movement, speech and save for a ventilator operating 24/7, breathing.  A feeding tube sustains his life.  Because of his condition, Isaac must live on the ground floor of his home and thus his life is spent in the living room.  He is tended to by homecare nurses 21 hours a day.  The other three hours (7-10 p.m.) are spent alone with Mom, Dad and 4-year old sister Samantha.  The Skottke’s are one of the nicest, hard-working, loving families you’ll ever meet.

 Isaac’s Room.  Amy and Mark have a dream; a room of his own for their son and it’s a dream that can come true.  There’s a small 20 ’x 12’ structure off of the kitchen which can be renovated so that Isaac would not only have his own space but could join the family during mealtime.  The Skottke’s have exercised all options regarding financing the project.  Thanks to volunteers, family and a social service agency, Isaac’s room can become a reality – but for one thing -  financing the building materials.  That’s where Irv Bunce and the Frankfort Kiwanis come in.

 Bunce is the club’s president and has made Isaac’s happiness one of his life’s pursuits.  Subsequently, he has converted us to his cause.  Irv is also a proponent of the Fallen Stars Memorial Project and as such, last year, organized a benefit golf tournament in honor of Sgt. Shawn Martin.  The event generated a few thousand dollars which, along with our other fundraisers, enabled us to support numerous area charities including the Gram Lorraine Children’s Christmas Program, Camp Kiwanis, the Frankfort-Ilion Food Pantry, the Frankfort Library, etc.

 Because you can’t say no to the ultimate nice guy, nor in this case would you want to, we accepted Irv’s recommendation that the proceeds from the 2009 Sgt. Martin Memorial Tournament go for Isaac’s room.  Hopefully, we’ll earn enough to make building expenses.  If not, we’ll find the rest.  Mark Skottke has a special wish regarding the room; that it have a skylight so Isaac can see the stars at night.  It will.  Isaac will not only be able to see diamonds in the sky but Mr. Sun as well.  And somewhere in the great beyond, the smiling face of the big hero Marine will be looking down watching over him.

 
Making A Dream Come True.    Interested in golfing or being a sponsor (July 31 – 9:00 a.m.  Pine Hills Golf Course)  Call Irv at #895-7048 (www.frankfortkiwanis.com)   Interested in making a donation: Send a check to the Frankfort Kiwanis Club, c/o Irv Bunce, 202 Kernan Ave., Frankfort, N.Y. 13340

 

I thought you should know….. July 23, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 am

For those who have been following our project on the website, www.fallenstarsmemorial.com, for the past year, I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation.  This has been at times an emotionally difficult task.  In that light, I have made the decision to to take a break from maintaining the site at the end of this month.  So after July 31, 2009, the website will not be accessible. I will be purchasing the domain name so that no one will be able to use it and the information contained within the files of the site will stay on the server and not be lost.  Should I feel that sometime in the future that the website should be revived, I will be able to do so.

Alternately, I will be maintaining this blog.  I like the way I am able to offer more current commentary on what is happening with the Fallen Stars Memorial project.  I also like that if someone wishes to comment on a post or offer input, it is easy to do. 

Again, thanks so much for your support in the past year.

The administrator of the Fallen Stars Memorial website- Cleo Adams

 

Memorial Garden July 16, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 am

We Won’t Forget

 A peaceful setting dedicated to the memory of Pfc Gregory Huxley of Forestport and Cpl Kelly Canaan of Lowville. The plaques are beautiful.

The kids at the Reese Road Elementary School in Frankfort, NY, created this memorial garden

 For more photos use Flickr Photos link at right.


 
 Originally uploaded by Maudeanne1
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Utica Post Office July 16, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 am


Utica Post Office

Originally uploaded by Maudeanne1

A recent stop at the Main USPS Post Office gave me the chance to see the memorial to all veterans. Notice the bricks that remember those from this area who have not made it home.

View individual photos by using the Flickr Photos link at right.

 

S Maytan Fishing Site July 16, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Cleo @ 8:43 am


S Maytan Fishing Site

Originally uploaded by Maudeanne1

Our Fallen Stars are remembered at a local state fishing site.
The plaque is located at the Samuel Maytan fishing site in Herkimer, NY.

See the individual photos by using the Flickr Photos link at right.