We couldn’t have pulled off the Tribute to Gold Star Families if it wasn’t for everybody who supported us in one way or another. Our co-organizers, the Elks Lodge in Derby, especially Steve and Ann Edgerley along with Wayne Besaw, were, as always, super to work with

. Also thanks to the speakers, and others who took part in the tribute: Nathan and Vicki Strong of Albany; North Country JROTC (Sidney Zahn, Shaylyn Quinn, Hailey Libbey, and Natashia Brooks, along with their commanders Sergeant Major David Lane and Colonel Keith Wooster),  Mark Shelton of Brownington; Tom Salmon, state auditor/Iraq war veteran; U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders; Caroline Heydinger of Vernon, Emily Wheeler of Derby; Marion Gray of Calais (Gold Star Mother); Lieutenant Abraham Begins/VT National Guard; Ray Griffin of Glover (Gold Star Brother), Carlisle Whitehill of Island Pond (Gold Star Wife), Anne McClaughry of the Ethan Allen Institute, and the musically talented Morrison Family of Lowell. And although U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and U.S. Congressman Peter Welch weren’t able to make it to the event, they addressed the Gold Star Families though video.

We also couldn’t have pulled off such a beautiful tribute without the man behind the sound system, Conrad Sanville of Sanville Sound System. He has become an important fixture in our annual events. And thank you to Peter Carragher and Sylvie Larravee for filming the event and Nicolette Simpson for photographing it.

Colonel John Goodrow of the VT National Guard and Clayton Clark of the Vermont Veterans Administration were of tremendous assistance. Also thanks to the media who helped us promote the event and reported on it.

Others who contributed to the event were Community National Bank, Dr. Les Lockridge, Bill Alexander/Alpine Web Media, Nancy Goss, Spates the Florist, North Country Hospital, and Hoagie’s Pizza and Pasta.

 Thank you to our daughter, Emily, for taking such an active role in the event, and thank you to our sons, Curtis and Nick, for driving all the way from their homes in Maine to attend it.

In addition, thanks to the community members who turned out to show their support for the Gold Star Families. Special thanks to the Gold Star Families. For some people the words “service” and “sacrifice” are only words, but you know those words are actions.

Thank you,

Scott and Penny Wheeler and family