Heroes to gather near Valley Forge

The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove will hold its first annual fund-raising gala to benefit the care, maintenance and preservation of the Medal of Honor Grove on Saturday at the Freedoms Foundation in Phoenxiville near Valley Forge park.

"Our first annual fundraising gala will offer supporters a unique opportunity to meet and talk with some of our nation's greatest heroes from several generations of military service. If you are a veteran, military historian or simply a patriotic American, don't miss this incredible opportunity to dine with those who have earned our county's highest military honor, while supporting the preservation of the Grove," said Wally Nunn, chair of the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove.

Sen. Andrew E. Dinniman, who has worked to restore the grove from disrepair, will also attend the event, which begins at 5 p.m. Joining him will be the following Medal of Honor recipients: Sgt. Francis S. Currey,
U.S. Army, World War II; Col. Walter Marm,
U.S. Army, Vietnam; Maj.General James Livingston, U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam; Lt. Brian M. Thacker, U.S. Army, Vietnam; Col. Harold A. Fritz, U.S. Army, Vietnam; Priv. Hector A. Cafferata, U.S. Marine, Korea.

The event is black-tie optional, and tickets are $500 per person. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove, a nonprofit organization staffed entirely by volunteers.The 52-acre grove, located at the rear of the Freedoms Foundations headquarters, just off Route 23 near Phoenixville, is the nation's oldest memorial site dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. It is divided into one-acre plots for each state, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Each plot features an obelisk and metal plaques set in the ground, honoring Medal of Honor recipients dating back to the Civil War.

Earlier on Saturday, Dinniman and the six Medal of Honor recipients will lay a wreath on the grave of Sister Maria Veronica, IHM. Sister Veronica served as archivist at the Freedoms Foundation for 17 years, during which she devoted her time to researching each Medal of Honor recipient's story and handwriting their citations. Sister Veronica received countless accolades for her work. The federal government even offered to bury her at Arlington National Cemetery. However, she chose to be buried in a simple grave with her sisters at Immaculata. The wreath-laying ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. at Immaculata Convent Cemetery.

Continuing the focus on our nation's heroes, Gov. Corbett today signed into law Sen. Bill 631, which designates a section of Rt. 23 as the Medal of Honor Grove Highway.

For more information on the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove, visit http://www.friendsmohgrove.org/ or contact Dinniman's district office at 610-692-2112