kDavid, a My Green Lake reader who says he “lives and thrives in the PhinneyLake neighborhood, in the dip between the ridge and the lake,” wrote to us yesterday (Sunday, May 29, 2011) about the Blue Star Memorial Highway marker located between Aurora Ave N and N 65th St.
Yesterday, kDavid noticed a small group of people restoring the Blue Star Memorial sign that was knocked down last fall when a car came off southbound Aurora Ave N and flipped three times.
Here is kDavid’s report:
Although I am not aware of the current status of the driver, I can happily report that the sign is now restored in time for Memorial Day by some dedicated volunteers who have come to this sign’s rescue before!
Michael Shelton, Jim and Janet Shelton, and Gary Epps were there restoring the sign back to its post, and tidying up the grass around the base of it with an American flag. They have ‘adopted’ this sign to keep it in good shape, and are responsible for its restoration yet again.
- Jim and Janet Shelton
Blue Star Memorial Highway Markers are located throughout the United States and there are about 45 markers in Washington State. Since 1945, when the Blue Star program began, they have been placed to honor the servicemen and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Janet explained to me this comes from the tradition of families with servicemen hanging a blue star in their windows at home for every service member they had serving, from their family.
Gary and Michael rescued the sign after last October’s accident and had it repaired and repainted. “We have a friend who works at an aluminum shop, and he had it welded back up for us for $50 and it’s nearly as good as new,” said Gary. From previous restoration efforts, they had the paint to restore it once again. He also explained that they have contacted the current incarnation of the Snoqualmie District of the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs (the originators of the Green Lake sign) to place a new Blue Star sign up in Shoreline near where he lives. He is hoping that they’ll be able to place it in the new Interurban Park that is just being completed alongside Hwy 99.
We certainly appreciate the volunteerism and ‘can-do-ism’ of neighbors like Jim, Michael, Janet and Gary. Thanks for looking after this important marker, and getting it restored in time for this Memorial Day!
