COURTYARD OF HONOR CEREMONY
On Monday, November 11, 2024, the Township of Derry Board of Supervisors, joined by special guests, celebrated the dedication of the new Veterans Memorial, known as the ‘Courtyard of Honor’ at Chocolate Town Park. This memorial stands as a heartfelt tribute to the brave men and women of Derry Township, honoring their service and sacrifice in defending our freedom.
Click the link to view the images from the ceremony.
COURTYARD OF HONOR
We are proud of our ongoing commitment to honor the courageous Veterans of our community whose sacrifices have safeguarded our freedoms. We extend a heartfelt invitation to our entire community to stand with us in paying tribute to these remarkable individuals, whose bravery and service inspires us.
This memorial continues our communityโs rich heritage of honoring persons from Derry Township who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The original Court of Honor was dedicated on November 7, 1943, at the Hershey Community Center across Cocoa Avenue from this site. On September 20, 1947, two bronze plaques bearing the names of 1,238 Derry Township โDefenders of Americaโ were dedicated to replacing the original frames, which contained 864 names. On Memorial Day,1982, the bronze plaques were rededicated and supplemented at the Cocoa Avenue Plaza. The new Veterans Memorial at the southwest corner of Chocolate Avenue and Cocoa Avenue(s) will include illuminated Gold Stars acknowledging the brave sons and daughters of Derry Township families and the brave children from the Milton Hershey School family who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Country. It will also feature flags from all the U.S. Armed Forces.
This project is slated to be out for bid on May 9th. We anticipate awarding a contract to the winning bidder on June 11th and intend to have the project substantially completed for Veterans Day 2024.
GROUND CEREMONY
On Monday, May 17, 2024, Memorial Day, we held a groundbreaking ceremony at Chocolate Town Park for the Courtyard of Honor. This event occurred after the observance ceremony, which was dedicated to honoring and remembering those who bravely sacrificed their lives for our community.
The following are pictured from left to right. Ryan Cummings (HRG), Josh Williams (Hershey American Legion), Brian Bechtel (Hershey VFW Post 3502), Dwight Kuhn, Chaplain (Hershey VFW Post 3502), Timothy Roche, Commander (Hershey American Legion), E. Christopher Abruzzo, Chairman (Derry Township Board of Supervisor), Natalie Nutt, Vice-Chairman (Derry Township Board of Supervisor), Richard Zmuda (Derry Township Board of Supervisor), Michael Corado (Derry Township Board of Supervisor), Christopher Christman (Derry Township Manager).
EVOLUTION OF THE COURTYARD OF HONOR PROJECT
An overview rendering of the Courtyard of Honor at Chocolate Town Park at the Square.
An overview rendering of the entrance of the Courtyard of Honor at Chocolate Town Park at the Square.
An overview rendering of the Courtyard of Honor Memorial honoring our brave soldiers of Derry Township and Milton Hershey, and the original Veteran plaques.
An overview rendering of the Courtyard of Honor outdoor concert stage.
SUPPORT THE VISION: COURTYARD OF HONOR
If you wish to donate to support the Courtyard of Honor initiative, you may contact the Township of Derry Public Outreach Coordinator, Rebecca Sweigart, at 717-533-20257 or by email at rlsweiga@derrytownship.org.
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