Veteran's Blue Star Project

LAVGC is a participant in the Blue Star Memorial program. Several years ago, the Club worked on installing the memorial and surrounding garden at the at the Veteran's Hospital in Livermore. The Club is now working on restoring both the plaque and garden. In 2023 LAVGC has joined the state project of restoring these plaques by working on the restoration of the memorial plaque at the Veteran's hospital. The restoration project also includes restoring the garden area around the memorial.
 
What are the Memorial projects?
 

• The Blue Star & Gold Star Families Memorials project is sponsored by the National Garden Club and the California Garden Club. Garden Clubs that are part of these organizations can participate in this program.
• The Blue Star Memorials program honors all men and women who serve in the United States Armed Services. This program honors the living members of the military.
• The Gold Star Family Memorials program is to honor individual family members lost to service to our country and to provide.

 
Restoration projects
 
Many of the memorial plaques across the state have weathered badly, including the Blue Star Memorial plaque that LAVGC has supported at the Veteran's Hospital in Livermore. In the past, restoration of the memorial plaques has been quite expensive, which posed a block for some Clubs to maintain them.
 
Recently the San Clemente Garden Club came up with a new and less expensive process to restore the plaques. Other garden clubs are using San Clemente's process to restore the plaques near them. San Clemente Garden Club website provides a pictorial description, from start to finish, of the process they are using.
 
Member participation
 
This service project is open to garden club members.
 
Meeting times
 
Work on this project is as needed, typically done as a one- or two-day work party. Watch for information about this project in the newsletter. See the newsletter for information about when LAVGC volunteers are needed for Arbor Day activities. About a month before Arbor Day the LAVGC Arbor Day committee chair will request volunteers to help prepare the packets to be given to the school children and give Arbor Day talks at the elementary schools.
 
For more information and to be added to the group's mailing list, send email to the leaders on Contact Us.

For more information about these programs

Both the National Garden Club and California Garden Clubs, Inc. provide more details about these programs.
Listing of Memorials/Markers and dedicated highways in California
Caltrans Blue Star Memorial Highways
VA Med. Ctr., 150 Muir Road, at the flagpole

Blue Star Memorial Markers in our area
Livermore	VA Med. Ctr., at flagpole, Arroyo Rd. 4 mi S of downtown	Diablo Foothills District
Martinez		Diablo Foothills District
Blue Star Byway Markers in our area
San Ramon	San Ramon Memorial Park	Livermore-Amador Valley GC

Pictures

January 2023 Livermore VA before restoration

June 2023 Livermore VA restoration

March 2023 Blue Star Byway Marker at San Ramon Memorial Park

Behind the Wall of Honor with flags stands the Blue Star Byway Marker.

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