BY LINDSAY J. JONES
Batesville Herald Tribune
Hendricks County Flyer (Avon, Ind.)
What started as one town’s event two years ago has rapidly spread to the statewide level.
The Indiana Blue Star Salute has been scheduled on this year’s Armed Forces Day from 2 to 7 p.m. May 17 at O’Reilly Raceway Park, 10267 East U.S. Highway 136.
Hanging a Blue Star Banner - a 15- by 20-inch banner with a blue star on a field of white with a red border - in one’s window to symbolize that a member of the household is currently serving in the military was a tradition that began during World War I, becoming especially popular during World War II.
Avon American Legion Public Information Officer Paul Morton said the banners would be presented to families by a local military commander during a war, and when it got to a point where military commanders weren’t so readily available, American Legion members adopted the practice.
The tradition began dropping off during the Korean Conflict and almost completely fell out of practice during the Vietnam War. In 2000, the American Legion National Headquarters adopted a resolution to reemphasize the trend and reinstall the tradition.
In 2006 the Avon Blue Star Salute and was held at Washington Township Park. At the inaugural event, about 65 families of service members attended, and a Black Hawk helicopter landed during the ceremony.
“The idea was to get the Blue Star out to everyone, and get the public to recognize what we’re doing,” Morton said.
He added that after the first event was such a success, he contacted other American Legions throughout the county to team up and host a county-wide event last year at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex. That event was even more successful, with five helicopters landing during the ceremony, and between 400 and 500 motorcycle riders participating in the Indiana Ride for the Salute.
This year’s event is again hosted by the Hendricks County American Legion Posts - Avon, Brownsburg, Danville, Pittsboro, and Plainfield - and is open to military service members, their families, and the general public from throughout the state.
Doors will open at 1 p.m., and the opening ceremonies will begin at 2 p.m. The day’s events will include three skydivers; firefighters will raise an American flag from a ladder truck; the organization Fueled by the Fallen will bring out a car painted in Marine camouflage and do a special tribute to the families; a Black Hawk and possibly three other helicopters will land; the Colts cheerleaders and mascot “Blue” will be on hand; the Indiana Ride for the Salute will feature between 700 and 1,000 motorcycle riders, and will possibly be led by Gov. Mitch Daniels; and there will be a special Blue Star Salute race on the track.
The entire event will be free, including the VP Fuels E.T. Bracket Racing Series points races going on throughout the day and evening.
Corporate sponsors, including Hendricks Regional Health, Clarian, Duke Energy, and the Town of Avon are sponsoring the event, which will help pay for Blue Star banners for each of the families present.
“I feel like a real success will be measured ultimately by our ability to engage the public,” Morton said. “It’s great we have a bunch of service members and their families come out, and it’ll be greater still if we can get someone with no connection other than these people are defending their country to come in the doors and say ‘thanks.’”
Committee Chairperson Ralph “Zoc” Zoccolillo echoed that sentiment, saying that one of the greatest parts of the event for him is when Legion members are embraced and thanked by the families for honoring them, when the event is really meant to thank the families for the sacrifices of their children who are serving far away and in harm’s way.
“This is the most incredible thing we could do,” he said.
Any service member or family member who would like to attend the Blue Star Salute should register in advance online at the website www.hcbluestar.org.
For more information about the event, call Morton at 340-8554 or Zoccolillo at 750-4265.
Anyone who wishes to join an American Legion post may do so by contacting their local post or by calling the national headquarters at 630-1200. Those eligible to join should have served in active military duty between April 6, 1917 and Nov. 11, 1918; Dec. 7, 1941 and Dec. 31, 1946; June 25, 1950 and Jan. 31, 1955; Feb. 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975; Aug. 24, 1982 and July 31, 1984; Dec. 20, 1989 and Jan. 31, 1990; and from Aug. 2, 1990 to present.
Lindsay J. Jones writes for the Hendricks County Flyer in Avon, Ind.
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Batesville Herald Tribune
Hendricks County Flyer (Avon, Ind.)
What started as one town’s event two years ago has rapidly spread to the statewide level.
The Indiana Blue Star Salute has been scheduled on this year’s Armed Forces Day from 2 to 7 p.m. May 17 at O’Reilly Raceway Park, 10267 East U.S. Highway 136.
Hanging a Blue Star Banner - a 15- by 20-inch banner with a blue star on a field of white with a red border - in one’s window to symbolize that a member of the household is currently serving in the military was a tradition that began during World War I, becoming especially popular during World War II.
Avon American Legion Public Information Officer Paul Morton said the banners would be presented to families by a local military commander during a war, and when it got to a point where military commanders weren’t so readily available, American Legion members adopted the practice.
The tradition began dropping off during the Korean Conflict and almost completely fell out of practice during the Vietnam War. In 2000, the American Legion National Headquarters adopted a resolution to reemphasize the trend and reinstall the tradition.
In 2006 the Avon Blue Star Salute and was held at Washington Township Park. At the inaugural event, about 65 families of service members attended, and a Black Hawk helicopter landed during the ceremony.
“The idea was to get the Blue Star out to everyone, and get the public to recognize what we’re doing,” Morton said.
He added that after the first event was such a success, he contacted other American Legions throughout the county to team up and host a county-wide event last year at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex. That event was even more successful, with five helicopters landing during the ceremony, and between 400 and 500 motorcycle riders participating in the Indiana Ride for the Salute.
This year’s event is again hosted by the Hendricks County American Legion Posts - Avon, Brownsburg, Danville, Pittsboro, and Plainfield - and is open to military service members, their families, and the general public from throughout the state.
Doors will open at 1 p.m., and the opening ceremonies will begin at 2 p.m. The day’s events will include three skydivers; firefighters will raise an American flag from a ladder truck; the organization Fueled by the Fallen will bring out a car painted in Marine camouflage and do a special tribute to the families; a Black Hawk and possibly three other helicopters will land; the Colts cheerleaders and mascot “Blue” will be on hand; the Indiana Ride for the Salute will feature between 700 and 1,000 motorcycle riders, and will possibly be led by Gov. Mitch Daniels; and there will be a special Blue Star Salute race on the track.
The entire event will be free, including the VP Fuels E.T. Bracket Racing Series points races going on throughout the day and evening.
Corporate sponsors, including Hendricks Regional Health, Clarian, Duke Energy, and the Town of Avon are sponsoring the event, which will help pay for Blue Star banners for each of the families present.
“I feel like a real success will be measured ultimately by our ability to engage the public,” Morton said. “It’s great we have a bunch of service members and their families come out, and it’ll be greater still if we can get someone with no connection other than these people are defending their country to come in the doors and say ‘thanks.’”
Committee Chairperson Ralph “Zoc” Zoccolillo echoed that sentiment, saying that one of the greatest parts of the event for him is when Legion members are embraced and thanked by the families for honoring them, when the event is really meant to thank the families for the sacrifices of their children who are serving far away and in harm’s way.
“This is the most incredible thing we could do,” he said.
Any service member or family member who would like to attend the Blue Star Salute should register in advance online at the website www.hcbluestar.org.
For more information about the event, call Morton at 340-8554 or Zoccolillo at 750-4265.
Anyone who wishes to join an American Legion post may do so by contacting their local post or by calling the national headquarters at 630-1200. Those eligible to join should have served in active military duty between April 6, 1917 and Nov. 11, 1918; Dec. 7, 1941 and Dec. 31, 1946; June 25, 1950 and Jan. 31, 1955; Feb. 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975; Aug. 24, 1982 and July 31, 1984; Dec. 20, 1989 and Jan. 31, 1990; and from Aug. 2, 1990 to present.
Lindsay J. Jones writes for the Hendricks County Flyer in Avon, Ind.
