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Sept. 23, 2024
BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley, Col (Ret), USAF and the Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana invite the public to attend Gold Star Family Day on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. at the Gold Star Monument in the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park adjacent to the State Capitol. The event is held annually in observance of Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, which honors the family members of our fallen servicemen and women.
“It is our duty to not only serve our veterans, but to support the families of those who lost their lives in service to our country,” said Secretary Meginley. “The gold star is a designation no family wants, but one they wear to honor their loved one for their selfless service and sacrifice. Gold Star Family Day honors those who were left behind, and in turn, memorializes those who served.”
The event will begin with a ceremony at 10 a.m., which will include recognition of all Gold Star mothers and families as well as an opportunity for each family to honor their service member. Keri Hart, Gold Star spouse of 1SG Casey James Hart, will be the keynote speaker. 1SG Hart served 24 years in the Louisiana National Guard including service in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. There will be a picnic following the ceremony, and an RSVP is required by Wednesday, Sept. 25 to veteran@la.gov or 225.219.5005.
The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument located in the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park was the first of three Gold Star monuments in the State of Louisiana, and the first in the nation to be placed on State Capitol grounds. LDVA, in partnership with the Woody Williams Foundation, dedicated the monument on Sept. 18, 2018 to honor Gold Star families, preserve the memory of the fallen and stand as a stark reminder that freedom is not free.
There are many organizations offering support to Gold Star mothers and families including the American Gold Star Mothers, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. Additionally, Military OneSource provides a listing of support at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/casualty-assistance/survivor-support/benefits/.
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