online at www.connectionnewspapers.com May 30-June 5, 2018

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Tenth District Candidates Debate in McLeanNews, Page 4

First Friday Art Walk To Be Held June 1News, Page 9

Great FallsHonors the Fallen

News, Page 3

Calvin Follin and Sara Hilgartner read the names of the deceased Great Falls residents who

served their country. A personal moment for both, as Follin read the names of his own family

members, and Hilgartner rang the bell for all those veterans who have passed, including her

husband Pete “High Pockets” Hilgartner, who founded the Great Falls Memorial service.

Great Falls Connection ❖ May 30 - June 5, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

Attending a candlelight vigil afterthe terrorist attacks of 9/11 setRetired U.S. Marine Corps Col.Peter “High Pockets” (so named

for his lean and lanky 6-foot-6-inch frame)Hilgartner on the path to create a place inGreat Falls where remembrances honoringthose who fell in service of their countrycould be held with the respect they deserve.That place, situated behind the Great FallsPublic Library, was dedicated in November2004 and the Great Falls Freedom Memo-rial, the place and the people who continueto organize ceremonies to pay homage tothose veterans was born.

Having passed away in January 2015 atthe age of 87, Hilgartner’s was one of thenames read on Memorial Day 2018 in thepeaceful surroundings that he was instru-mental in seeing created by rallying com-munity physical and financial support.

A LARGE STONE, one of several donatedby Great Falls resident Glen Sjoblom fromhis nearby property, forms the centerpieceof the memorial, with the chiselled inscrip-tion: “The Community of Great Falls, Vir-ginia, Honors Those Who Have Given ofThemselves in Service to the Cause of Lib-erty and Freedom.” In addition to the flag-poles set behind the stone, six trees, onefor each Great Falls resident killed duringthe 9/11 attacks, stand guard around thememorial.

Another tree, a white oak set off to one

side and seeming to be observing the eventsthat take place within the memorial space,was planted in memory of Hilgartner andcarries its own inscribed stone, expressinggratitude to the founder of the Great FallsFreedom Memorial.

Andy Wilson, president of the Great FallsFreedom Memorial, greeted the hundred orso who turned out to pay their respects on“the 150th anniversary of this day of re-membrance,” on what was once calledDecoration Day and was established origi-nally to honor Northern Civil War veterans.

Wilson said that Memorial Day meansdifferent things to different people, fromfamily cookouts to long-weekend trips tothe beach, as the day is often regarded asthe start of summer. “Whatever you chooseto do on this day, let us remember that youare free to do so because of the ultimatesacrifice made by those we honor.”

Rev. Jerry Pokorsky of Saint Catherine ofSienna Catholic Church, gave the invoca-tion, and then the crowd came to its feetfor the Presentation of the Colors by theColor Guard Detachment, U.S. MarineCorps. With the flags held high by the ser-vicemen, members of Boy Scout Troop 55surrounded the inscribed stone and led the

assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance, con-tinuing to salute – along with many of thosein attendance – during the singing of theNational Anthem by Linda and Meagan Sill.

The keynote speaker, Rita Stead, was in-troduced by her grandson, Bruce Fein, aveteran of the war in Iraq and a resident ofGreat Falls for more than 35 years.

Labelled a “civilian veteran” of World WarII and every conflict since, Stead was ap-plauded for her “loving support to thearmed services as daughter, sister, wife,aunt, great-aunt, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and grandmother to numerous militarymembers.”

While she certainly paid tribute to all gen-erations of the nation’s military combatants,Stead engaged the crowd with personal rec-ollections of life during World War II.

“What I remember most and best is theway the country worked as one to help ourfellow man.”

The names of the 26 Great Falls heroeswere read by Calvin Follin, and includedtwo family members of his own. As eachname was read aloud into the silence of theassembly, a bell was rung by Hilgartner’swidow Sara.

And then it was time for the laying of the

memorial wreath. As Langley High Schoolsenior Cael Shoop played “Taps,” the BoyScouts assisted Mrs. Stead, her grandsonBruce Fein, Virginia Senator Barbara Favola(D-31), and Elwyn Charles Comstock - rep-resenting his wife, U.S. Rep. BarbaraComstock (R-10) - in placing the wreath.

SCOUT TROOP 55 then performed theRaising of the Colors, and stood proudly atattention as “God Bless America” echoedaround the memorial space as scouts, pro-gram participants, and the community inattendance sang as one.

This year’s memorial ended with a bene-diction by Pokorsky, and closing remarks byAndy Wilson, who urged attendees to “takejust a moment for silence and remem-brance” at 3 p.m., “wherever the were andwhatever they were doing. A small thing todo to honor a very large sacrifice made onbehalf of us all.”

The Great Falls Freedom Memorial willsee organized action again soon, as thestarting point for a 5k Race on July 4. Acandlelight vigil will be held on Sept. 11,and a Veterans Day ceremony will take placeon Nov. 11. Keep track of events at thewebsite www.gffreedom.org.

Laying of the memorial wreath. From left: State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31); Bruce Fein; keynote speaker Rita Stead; boys from Scout Troop 55;and Elwyn Charles “Chip” Comstock, attending on behalf of his wife,U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-10).

Members of Boy Scouts Troop 55 were an integral part of the memorialceremony, saluting the flag and helping to lead the assembly in thePledge of Allegiance, assisting in the laying of the wreath, and Raisingthe Colors – not to mention setting up and breaking down the seating.

Great Falls Honors the FallenCommunity gathersat Great Falls Free-dom Memorial to paytribute to those whofell in service of theircountry.

Langley High School senior Cael Shoop, 18, played“Taps” as the memorial wreath was laid at the me-morial.

Col. Robert A. Shawn, Air Corps retired, served inWorld War II, the Korean War, and in Vietnam as apilot. His wife Julia joined him in conversation withCalvin Follin of Great Falls, who was slated to read thenames of passed Great Falls service members.

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