South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Gold star families attend Ann Norton gardens event
Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens hosts gold star families prior to monument dedication in West Palm Beach.
Before the dedication of the Palm Beach County Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at Trinity Park in West Palm Beach, sponsors and donors came together for a Gratitude Dinner at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens.
Special guests were five gold star families whose lost a loved one fighting for the United States Armed Forces and Hershel “Woody” Williams, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for his service in World War II.
“We’re especially honored and inspired to have gold star families joining us this evening and we recognize them as the individuals that gracefully carry the very heart and soul of the United States of America,” Frances Fisher, chairman of the board of the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, said in a statement.
Her co-host for the evening was Harvey E. Oyer III, an attorney, author and fifth-generation Floridian.
He and Gold Star Daughter Lauren Berkson, president of Palm Beach County Gold Star Families, worked to get the monument, “a reflection of the debt of gratitude American citizens owe to the distinguished military servicemen and servicewomen and their families for their ultimate sacrifice for freedom.”
“With your devotion, this monument now stands as a permanent reminder of how fortunate we are to be Americans, and we thank you for giving us the opportunity to be inspired by your generosity and patriotic spirit,” Oyer said that night.
The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, 253 Barcelona Road, will include gold star families in the debut of the Jazz in the Gardens Series on Sunday, Dec. 15 with a holiday concert dedicated to veterans.
Visit the monument at 777 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach.
Visit ansg.org and hwwmohf.org.