The Ninth Annual Gold Star Families Day and Recognition Ceremony was held at Bartlett Pond Park in Middle Island, where community members, veterans, and local officials gathered to honor families who lost loved ones in military service.
Event organizer Gail Lynch-Bailey reminded attendees of the tradition’s roots. “Although far too many people don’t know about it, Gold Star Mothers and Families Day has been observed each year since 1936,” she noted. Lynch-Bailey recounted the story of Grace Darling Seibold, who formed the first Gold Star Mothers group after her son George was killed in World War I. “More than a century after the Armistice that ended that conflict, we still need the grace, courage and comfort exemplified by the Gold Star Mothers, Fathers and Families now more than ever.”
Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, who attends the event every year, praised the courage of families who have endured the ultimate loss. “Behind every Gold Star is a story of bravery, of selflessness, and of love of country,” DeStefano said. “As a community, and as a state, we owe you more than words. We owe you our eternal gratitude and a solemn promise: that your loved ones will never be forgotten.”
Legislator Chad Lennon, a Marine lieutenant colonel, spoke of his fallen comrades. “They are living in my memory and I will continue to honor them by living a good, worthy life,” he said.
Rosemary Kluepfel, president of the Long Island Gold Star Mothers, reflected on the ongoing pain families endure. “It’s very difficult for the Gold Star Mothers to be here,” Kluepfel said. “They’re living with one foot in the past and one foot in the future. Many times they wonder, what if…”
The ceremony concluded with prayers, music, and the laying of wreaths at the park’s memorial.