BATON ROUGE – Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards, First Lady Donna Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs will host the third annual lighting ceremony of the U.S. Armed Forces Memorial Grove of Lights, which honors Louisiana’s veterans, fallen soldiers and their families. East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and Louisiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Keith Waddell will be among the speakers. The alley of crepe myrtles in the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park features approximately 50 trees wrapped with more than 100,000 lights.
“We will be forever grateful for the service of the courageous men and women across all branches of the military who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we all enjoy today,” said Gov. Edwards. “The holiday season can be very difficult for our Gold Star families who also commit to serve when their loved ones answer the call, and I ask everyone to keep them in your prayers. We should always honor and remember those who have contributed so greatly to our state and nation.”
The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs works closely with the Blue Star Mothers of Chapter 1 and Blue Star Mothers Geaux 7 Chapter, along with other Gold Star families support efforts around Louisiana throughout the year. Just steps away from the Memorial Grove lighting, visitors can pay respect to Gold Star families by visiting Louisiana’s Gold Star Families Honor Monument within the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park.
“On behalf of the Louisiana National Guard, we honor those who sacrificed as they paid the ultimate price of what courage, honor, and duty means in service to our country,” said Maj. Gen. Keith Waddell. “We remember the fallen service members who will never be forgotten and extend our message of gratitude to the Gold Star families.”
Located near the State Capitol in the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park behind the Arsenal building facing the Governor’s Mansion, the display will be available through the New Year.
Sponsors and contributors to the display include: Conduent, Lamar Advertising, Drax, Motorola, Election Systems & Software, Chiropractic Association of Louisiana, Baton Rouge General, Sempra Infrastructure, and Pennington Lawn & Landscape. Special thanks to Courson Nickel and Dept. of Corrections Sec. Jimmy LeBlanc.
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