At a Thursday morning ceremony in Garden Park, the refurbished marker was unveiled, designating State Road 85 as one of the program’s more than 3,000 highways nationwide.
The marker, which previously stood near the west border on U.S. Highway 90 in Crestview, was originally dedicated on April 29, 1968, and was sponsored by the Dogwood and Crestview Garden Clubs.
Over the years it had fallen into disrepair, so members of the Dogwood Garden Club had the marker refurbished, which ultimately cost more than $1,000, club member Janice Crose said.
By the Florida Department of Transportation designating S.R. 85 from Interstate 10 to U.S. 90 as a Blue Star Memorial Highway, the club was able to relocate the marker upon refurbishment to Garden Park.
But club members couldn’t do it alone.
“Our small club could not attempt to launch this project without the support of the Eglin Federal Credit Union,” club project chairman and first vice president Pam Callahan said. “They did not hesitate to act.”
Credit union President and CEO Jerry Williams said his institution was proud to partner in the effort with the club and the Crestview Department of Public Services.
“This area is rich in military history,” credit union President and CEO Jerry Williams said. “We’re greatly appreciative of the military folks who make up our membership.”
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Blue Star chairman Rosita Aristoff said the state’s first Blue Star Memorial Highway was Route 1, with its marker dedicated on May 30, 1949 in Key West.
“The program was named after the blue star in the service banner which hung in windows of homes and businesses during World War II in order to honor the men and women serving in our armed forces,” she said.
Here are interesting facts about National Garden Clubs’ Blue Star Memorial Highway Program:
●5,000: Garden clubs across America
●175,000: garden club members
●8,000: Flowering dogwood trees planted along New Jersey Route 22, the first Blue Star highway
●5 miles: length of the first Blue Star highway in New Jersey
●3,000: Blue Star memorial markers erected nationwide on highways, parks and cemeteries
●70,000 miles: Length of total nationwide Blue Star Memorial Highways
BY THE NUMBERS
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview regains a Blue Star highway (VIDEO)