The Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site led a Veterans Day Memorial Ceremony to honor local members of the Armed Forces and to remember the soldiers who are a part of the site’s history at the Bethesda Church on Nov. 8.
Inside Bethesda Church, Gene Delaplane, President of the Friends of Hopewell Furnace and a retired Marine, began the memorial with some words of thanks and turned it over to Head of Interpretation and Education, Frances Delmar, who led the rest of the ceremony.
Delmar asked veterans in the audience to stand in order to be honored for their service, followed by a brief history of Hopewell Furnace and recognition of affiliated soldiers who served throughout its history.
“At least 11 furnace workers served in the Continental Army,” Delmar said. “These contributions to the fight for independence set a tone at Hopewell that continues to this day.”
The service included the playing of the Armed Forces Medley, where veterans were asked to stand as they recognized their branch’s tune.
Moving outside, the Cub Scouts of Pack 595 assisted in presenting the colors, followed by a lying of wreaths, where the Scouts were each paired with a veteran.
The Scouts and veterans lined up, moving throughout the Bethesda Church Cemetery to place a wreath on each grave where a soldier was buried.
“Buried within the cemetery are veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and World War I,” Edie Shean-Hammond, Superintendent of Hopewell Furnace, said. “This is definitely educational for the Cub Scouts.”
As a site rich in history, Hopewell Furnace workers see it as their duty to do something to honor veterans.
“Mark Bird, a Revolutionary War hero, formed a militia of people who were here, workers who supported George Washington by sending him supplies,” Shean-Hammond said. “We have physical grave sites of some of these heroes. We are poised to be able to have such an event.”
The veterans present at the memorial were grateful for the efforts of Hopewell Furnace staff to put on such an event.
“The memorial was very nice, and an exceptional job from the Cub Scouts as well,” said Steve Bandura, a retired member of the Air Force who works at Hopewell. “I served for 20 plus years. It’s good to be a part of this as a member of the park services and a retired member of the Armed Forces. With such close proximity to Valley Forge, and with the history at Hopewell, it’s important to do stuff like this.”
The Cub Scouts who participated walked away having learned something new, and they also earned achievement for their service.
“This is the first time I did this,” Tavish Rickard, a Scout in Pack 595, said. “It was really good. We do it to honor the veterans, and for achievement.”
This is the second year that the Cub Scouts have participated in Hopewell Furnace’s memorial event.
“We have always had it on Veterans Day, but last year the Scouts weren’t able to participate because of school,” said Shean-Hammond. “That’s why we moved it to Saturday, so we hope to continue having it with the Cub Scouts involved.”
Shean-Hammond was pleased with the turnout of this year’s memorial as well and thanked Delaplane for his help.
“Gene was a great help with this, and I always have to make sure I say it, because we really couldn’t do this without the Friends of Hopewell,” she said.
For more information of Hopewell Furnace, visit www.nps.gov/hofu, or call the park’s visitor center at 610-582-8773.
