ELKINS – Gold Star Spouses Day activities were observed in Elkins after a proclamation from the City of Elkins.

Last summer, the City of Elkins welcomed the Gold Star Families Memorial to the All-Veterans Memorial Park. The memorial was brought to the intersection of Randolph Avenue and Railroad Avenue through a parade on June 3 with the unveiling on July 5. The memorial is composed of a two-sided black granite monument and three granite benches.

“The arrival of this monument holds profound meaning for our community, especially for Gold Star families who have endured the unimaginable loss of a loved one in service to our country,” Mayor Jerry Marco said in a released statement last June. “We are deeply grateful to the Woody Williams Foundation for selecting Elkins as the next home for this tribute. This monument will provide a lasting place of reflection, ensuring these families’ sacrifices are never forgotten.”

Last month, EMarco signed a proclamation declaring April 5 to be Gold Star Spouses Day. Marco was joined in a ceremony honoring Gold Star Spouses by Elkins City Police Chief Travis Bennett, Elkins Fire Department Chief Steve Himes and Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes.

According to the mayor’s proclamation, the country annually observes Gold Star Spouses Day on April 5 “to recognize the enduring sacrifice and resilience of the husbands and wives of United States service moments who gave their lives in defense of our freedom.”

The proclamation stated that April 5 was chosen as it commemorates the founding of the Gold Star Wives of America. The group was established in 1945 to provide support, advocacy and fellowship to surviving spouses of fallen service members.

“Gold Star Spouses embody courage, strength and unwavering devotion, carrying forward the legacy of their fallen loved ones while continuing to serve their families, communities and county,” the proclamation states. “…It is fitting that we, as a grateful community, pause to honor and recognize the profound sacrifices made by Gold Star Spouses and ensure they are never forgotten.”

The proclamation encouraged all Elkins residents to observe Gold Star Spouses Day with “appropriate ceremonies, remembrance and acts of kindness.”

The Woody Williams Foundation is a charitable organization that encourages, with the assistance of the American public and community leaders, establishing permanent Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments in communities throughout the United States. To date, the organization has installed 140 monuments across the U.S.