AVM's Ten Year Anniversary Celebrates History, Service and Donors
AVM NEWS and UPDATES...
MOUNT OLIVE - Smoky, a 4.5 pound Yorkshire Terrier who served in the Pacific Theater during World War II was among five legendary war dogs who were memorialized at the All Veterans Memorial during Memorial Day ceremonies on Monday.
The keynote speaker was William “Bill” A. Wynne, 94, decorated WWII veteran, author, photo-journalist, and war dog trainer who served in the jungles of New Guinea. It was there that Wynne bought Smoky from another GI for $6, the start of a relationship that would last for the war and many years later. A chance encounter with a small dog not only changed Wynne’s life but saved it more than a few times. Wynne named the small Yorkshire terrier, Smoky, after the smokestacks of the factories in his home in Cleveland, Ohio.
NEW JERSEY - The All Veterans Memorial is happy to announce open auditions for their Ten Year Anniversary and Dedication. AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM will be an educational and emotional production that will highlight the very core of each phase built within the memorial complex. The vaudeville-style musical will include actors, re-enactors, soloists, musician and servers.
The AVM production team have several volunteer opportunities available and are reaching out to interested high school students who would like the to be a part of an historical event. Volunteers hours will be registered and receive the AVM’s Patriot Award, President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Point of Light program, ” Uhrmann explained.
Plummeting Temperatures Trigger ‘Code Blue’
Local Family Prepares Magazines for Hospitalized Warriors
AVM Board Members welcome AFJROTC program, cadets…
NEW JERSEY – The AVM and the Second NJ Civil War Brigade have join forces to make the unveiling one of the most memorable moments in history. On October 21, 2017 re-enactors from across New Jersey and Pennsylvania will be setting up four eras of battlefield encampments throughout the veterans park . The community will be given the opportunity to learn and interact with Revolutionary, Civil, WWII and Vietnam War re-enactors. Each encampment will provide an accurate portrayal of the soldiers’ period speech and uniforms, meal preparation, preparation for battle and even a couple fireside chats and sing-a-longs. Area Boys Scouts will be given a unique opportunity to join the re-enactors and even bring their own gear.
OPEN CALL CASTING ~ AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM an AVM Production
AVM Expands Site with Veterans Remembrance Wall and Poppies Galore
WWII War Hero Keynote Speaker at the All Veterans Memorial War Dog Memorial Dedication
NEW JERSEY – On May 25, 2017 the All Veterans Memorial organizers will both celebrate a decade of planning, fundraising and developing one of New Jersey’s most notable veteran’s parks and dedicating four new monuments added to the veteran’s park. Appropriately, ‘American Exceptionalism’ has been adopted by the AVM Board of Directors to be this year’s motto, which purports to represent the very ideals that the AVM was built on; as the ceremony and dedication will certainly reflect.
Honorary hosts of the event will be decorated WWII veteran, dog trainer, American author and award winning photojournalist William (Bill) Wynne, who will be joined by Veterans of Foreign War Post 8096 New Jersey’s American Legion Post #154.
MOUNT OLIVE – This Memorial Day will be the first in the township in more than three decades to not have a parade, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a special event to mark the holiday. “The parade maybe gone, but we are not cancelling a ceremony to honor our fallen. We have a very special program planned”, said Charlie Uhrmann, Originator and driving force behind the funding and construction of the All Veterans Memorial at Turkey Brook Park.
For the past 30 years, the parade was coordinated by Bill and Linda Sohl, a Mount Olive couple who announced their retirement from parade-planning after last year’s event.
NEW JERSEY – The All Veterans Memorial is offering poppy workshops to the community and are encouraging local organizations, churches, teachers, businesses or private groups to participate. Open workshops will be held at Michaels at the ITC Shopping Center every Thursday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. beginning after the first of the year. It is a community effort to show support to the newest addition to the park, the Veterans Remembrance Wall.
The custom poppies are made from polymer clay that was donated by the Sculpey Company in Elk Grove, ILL. White clay is provided to those who lost a family member in war, while purple poppies are reserved for the fallen canine.
NEW YORK - As the temperatures plummeted into single figure digits Saturday morning, freezing temperatures triggered a ‘Code Blue’ warning in New York City, prompting workers to gather and transport the city’s homeless into shelters.
The All Veterans Helping Homeless Heroes Support Team deemed the Code Blue a perfect opportunity to provide hundreds of sweat suits, hats, gloves, scarves, and hygiene/care kits to those who are typically overlooked. AVM Board Members Charlie Uhrmann and Elizabeth Wizner, who is shown in the photo, delivered the sizable donation to the Bowery Mission during subzero temperatures.
HISTORICAL REVIEW EVOKES AN EMPOWERING RESPONSE
War Dog Memorial Dedicated At Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony
NEW JERSEY - How does the patriotism and determination of one individual inspire and motivate a community?
Charlie Uhrmann of Mount Olive, New Jersey found the answer firsthand when she committed to support and serve those who were serving in the U.S. Armed Forces after the 9 11 terrorist attacks. Little did she realize how far reaching and impactful her efforts would become 13 years later.
Through her efforts area residents – including students, churches and organizations – supported Morris County Cares in sending more than 1,100 requested care packages to troops. They sent 700 blankets to the troops in Afghanistan, 1,200 pounds of candy and 300 phone cards deployed soldiers in Iraq.
U.S. Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 Addresses Survivors of Fallen Heroes
NEW JERSEY – When the All Veterans Memorial Board of Directors aimed to expand the Presidential Preamble Stage and construct a 60’ barrier wall, they knew their proposal would directly affect a portion of Eric Wood’s Eagle Scout Community Project.
It was not until the AVM board members learned that the Turkey Brook Park Fire Pit had been designated as a commemorative gathering point and flag retirement ground for the local scouting organizations, that they decided to ‘repurpose’ Wood’s flag retirement vault into a national MIA CENOTAPH. A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. Many, and specifically in this case, the MIA CENOTAPH will be dedicated to the countless missing U.S. warriors that never returned home from battle. The monument will be dedicated to all branches of service and all conflicts, battles and wars. “The moment I was told how the vault would be used, I offered to fund the project”, Wood added. “It is the least I could do”.
NEW JERSEY – Lt. Cmdr. Romeo Bautista coordinated with Ms. Charlie Uhrmann from Morris County Cares, a service division of the All Veterans Memorial along with Walmart Community Service Grant Committees from Boonton, Riverdale, and Rio Grande, New Jersey, to facilitate delivery of over five thousand beanie babies and two thousand pounds of candies donated by various civic and religious organizations. Cmdr. Brian Baldus handed out a box of children books that were sent by his church from Mechanicsburg, Pa., and had a chance to read some stories to some playful and very curious Iraqi children. Cmdr. Peter Lawless added three more boxes of toys that he received from his hometown church organization.
Mount Olive Group Plans Memorial Day Event After Mayor Cancels Parade
NEW JERSEY – Collecting and preparing magazines to give to hospitalized veterans has become a family affair for a local family. Kavita Sajja of Mt. Olive, her two sisters, their husband and five children between them have been getting together once a week for 90 minutes or more to volunteer time for the All Veterans Memorial’s outreach program called Magazine to Magazines. The program began four years ago, and is now being spearheaded by this family team. “The Magazines to Magazines Campaign is now going to be run by an amazing family from Guiana”, says Charlie Uhrmann. Their help will allow me to focus on other areas of need.
MOUNT OLIVE TWP. – The AVM has been expanding every year to be an all-inclusive memorial site with a dozen elements. The latest addition to the growing park is the Veterans Remembrance Wall, which will provide veterans a place to hold vigils for fallen comrade and/or to honor our nation’s POWs and MIAs.
A war torn setting will set the overall landscape of the memorial. Indigenous material will be used to blend the memorial with the existing Seward Mansion, which can be seen from the memorial site. Replica period items carried by warriors from each period war will be imbedded into the ruins. A 36” diameter world globe will denote the geographic area of each war fought and will also serve as a burn unit for vigil ceremonies.
Inspiring Support for Community and Country
NEW JERSEY - Veteran organizations eagerly await the unveiling of the newest element being added to the All Veterans Memorial ~ a veterans memorial wall. Though a rough sketch of the area has been slated for the final phase of the memorial’s master plan, the details of the overall design has been opened up to more than 500+ state veteran organizations. “We are going to leave the details to the veterans” Charlie Uhrmann, the Originator of the AVM said. “It is their wall and as long as they remain flexible and financially mindful we welcome their input”.
The deadline for submitting paver applications is March 1st and all feedback submission is March 15th, 2017. Upon receipt, all submissions will be pooled together and integrated at the direction of the AVM’s architectural design team. The end result will give our retired and active military members a united and meaningful reflective area created by them. “We can’t express enough how important it is to get the support of all NJ veteran organizations" said Uhrmann.
NEW JERSEY – There was not a more patriotic place to celebrate Memorial Day than the All Veterans Memorial at Turkey Brook Park in Mount Olive, New Jersey. As communities across the nation gathered to remember and honor the lives of their own fallen heroes, the AVM carved out a special moment for the families of those who recently lost their lives while fighting
the Global War on Terror.
More than 350 patriots stood in support of several New Jersey Gold Star Mothers, fathers, wives and siblings of the fallen heroes that perished during the war. A special dedication of the newly added North Star Seating area was conducted by Hackettstown Home Depot Manager Gail Williams, who was the primary thrust behind the North Star Seating platform.
Weekend event pays respect to yesteryear’s battles …hope for the future.
It is our PROMISE... that 100% of all donations will be applied to the expressed intent of the solicitation or donor. We are an organization that is run by 100% volunteers; none of which accept any compensation of any kind.
We believe that is how every nonprofit should conduct its business.
AVM Opens the Poppy Project Workshop to Public
Baghdad Good Neighbor Program builds relationships
NEW JERSEY – Mount Olive - The setting at Mount Olive High School has become a little more patriotic these days now that they have acquired their very own Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFJROTC) program. The program is focused on building citizens of character and is good for anyone regardless of their future intentions. This was an excellent acquisition for not only Mount Olive’s young adults who may be considering a military career, but for anyone who is interested in actively learning leadership skills and bolstering their confidence for the future.
MOUNT OLIVE -The All Veterans Memorial at Turkey Brook Park in Budd Lake held its annual Memorial Remembrance program on Monday May 30, 2016. The Memorial’s latest addition, the War Dog Memorial, was dedicated during the program, retired U.S. Army Corporal and war dog handler William “Bill” Wynne, gave the keynote address.
The day began at 10:30 a.m. with the dedication at the War Dog Memorial, where five war dog statues donning detailed characteristics of the original war dog heroes were awarded the War Dog Medal of Honor by Ron Aiello, President of the U.S. War Dog Association for their heroic service. The unique memorial depicts the landscape of five different theater wars; five different breeds of canines assigned to five various missions.
Nonprofit lauds local businesses' support and generosity
NEW JERSEY – How does one turn a challenge into an opportunity? “We’re building a wall”, explained AVM Originator Charlie Uhrmann. “Not just any wall, a wall that’ll reminds us all of the inalienable rights so many of our brave men and women have died for to protect. The wall will make an excellent addition to the memorial and best of all; it will not change the memorial’s footprint.” The impressive 4.5’ x 55’ wall will display ten 20” x 20” tablets that will don the first ten Amendments of the Bill of Rights that were ratified by our Founding Fathers on December 15, 1791. The display will also include a 24’ x 24’ tablet donning the Congrefs. Two realistic 4’ tall American Eagles will be erected at each end of the wall.
New Jersey Veteran Groups Called to Participate…
MOUNT OLIVE - President George Washington, one of history’s greatest Generals once said, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, is directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”
Mount Olive Middle School 8th grade social studies teacher AnnaMarie Marro understood the value in providing to her students another perspective of the benefits and undocumented successes of our military presence and intervention...