Never Forget Garden Dedication - MT. Olivet Cemetery, MD

3 years ago

On October 29, at the invitation of the Carrollton Manor Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Richard Azzaro (Co-Founder of SHGTUS) and Charles “Cochise” Shacochis (SHGTUS Chaplain) attended the Never Forget Garden and World War I Memorial Dedication Ceremony, Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Frederick, Maryland.

The ceremony included a Flag raising ceremony, pledge of allegiance, Invocation, local tribute to the 2021 Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, special guest speakers (Azzaro and Shacochis), the benediction, rifle salute, and Taps.

Through a collaboration between the Carrollton Manor of the NSDAR and the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, they began a “Never Forget Garden” in Mount Olivet in the fall of 2021. It is located within a circle lot surrounded by burial areas T, U. and S, leading them to recall a Kiosk/Gazebo structure that once stood on this site from 1915 to the 1950s. The amazing coincidence of the letters designating the burial areas and TUS 100 was not lost on the DAR.

It sparked an idea to re-create the Kiosk/Gazebo in the form of a World War I Memorial to complement the World War II Memorial a few hundred yards away, officially dedicated on Memorial Day, 1948.

Additions include a flagpole, benches, and three interpretive waysides which will tell the stories of some of the 600 WWI veterans interred in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

On behalf of the Society, Cochise was the principal speaker. Azzaro presented remarks describing the symbolism of the Society’s Never Forget Bouquet and placed the bouquet upon the Never Forger Garden Marker previously installed.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, all were provided with Poppy seeds and invited to spread them throughout the Never Forget Garden that surrounds the restored Gazebo.

This was a well-planned, professionally executed ceremony and well attended. The commitment of the community was inspiring. We look forward to working with them.