It was a day a very long time in coming, but Saturday, May 24 brought a satisfying conclusion to a special project, as the Escalon Farmington Community Garden Club formally dedicated its Blue Star Memorial marker.
Situated at the Escalon Community Center adjacent to the Escalon Veterans Memorial, corner of Escalon Avenue and Arthur Road, a crowd gathered for the 9 a.m. dedication ceremony, with Garden Club Co-President Amanda Taylor serving as emcee.
After an opening prayer from American Legion Post 263 Chaplain Casey Den Ouden, Taylor stepped up to the podium to offer some background.
“The Blue Star program honors all men and women that serve in the United States Armed Services; the program began with the planting of 8,000 dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944,” said Taylor. “It was a living memorial to veterans of World War II and in 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs, which is now considered the National Garden Clubs, Incorporated, adopted this program and began a Blue Star highway system that covers thousands of miles across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.”
She said the blue star was adopted because “it became an icon” in World War II, displayed on flags and banners in homes, as well as in churches and businesses, as a way to honor those sons and daughters who had gone off to war.
Locally, the idea for a Blue Star Memorial was initially brought forth by longtime Garden Club member Judy Scheppmann, who approached Escalon Public Works Superintendent Juston Collins with the idea. She also sought help from former longtime San Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore, now retired, who was able to point her in the direction of San Joaquin County Supervisor Robert Rickman and he was able to secure some funding to assist with the project.
But, Taylor told the crowd, it took a long time, and plenty of persistence, to get it done.
“This Blue Star Memorial project has been a multi-year project,” she said. “We, as a Garden Club, could not have done it without donations from our community and all the hard work from the City of Escalon.”
She also commended the efforts of Moore and Rickman and thanked multiple businesses and organizations in the local area that helped out in a variety of ways.
“A huge thank you for initiating this project goes to one of our very own, Judy Scheppmann, we would not have this here today without her,” Taylor said.
A special gift for Scheppmann was offered by the club’s Membership Chair, Chris Hingley, presenting her with a ‘trophy’ of sorts, featuring a blue star motif.
“If you know her, you know her strong will to tackle the hardest and most difficult projects,” Hingley said of Scheppmann. “You know her enthusiasm has no bounds, and you know that words like such as persistence, tenacity and determination only begin to describe her.”
Offering a couple of comments of her own following receipt of the award, Scheppmann said she was “so happy to be able to be the start” of the Blue Star project for Escalon, thanking those in attendance for their work and efforts in making the project a reality.
“Thank you for allowing the city to be a part of this,” Public Works Superintendent Collins said as he took a turn at the podium, noting local businesses stepped up as well when they learned about the project.
Collins remembered first meeting with Scheppmann “five or six years ago” to initially discuss the project and he said it was something the City Council was in favor of, with the city’s Public Works team taking the lead. Crew leader Jake Cook and his team, said Collins, created the design and did much of the prep work at the site.
Handling the unveiling of the plaque were Collins and Cook, to applause from the crowd. Among those in attendance were several members of the Escalon American Legion Post, city representatives, Moore and local residents.
The marker has lighting installed so it is illuminated at night.
Moore, who described Judy and her husband Bob Scheppmann as “longtime friends” of his, said he was happy to help facilitate in any way he could, including coordinating with Supervisor Rickman to secure some funding.
“To be able to have this happen here; that is a beautiful monument,” Moore said following the unveiling of the marker. “It’s a tribute to Judy and the Garden Club for taking it on.”
