Mahwah Plans to Unveil 'Circle of Freedom' Monuments on Veterans Day

On Monday, 11/11, at 11 a.m., Mahwah will come together for an annual event, a ceremony in honor of Veterans Day. However, this year, organizers of the event say it will be “even more special” than ever before.

This Monday, the township plans to officially unveil its ‘Circle of Freedom’ monument at Veterans Park, which consists of 12 monuments each depicting a scene from an American war. The monuments are the featured elements of a multi-phase park upgrade project funded by resident donations.

“Unlike the former renovation of the park, which was grant-funded, this tribute has been paid for by the love of the community,” project organizer Susan Stedtler told Patch.

“I think that is just as important as the fact that these memorials will now always be here for our veterans.”

Stedtler and a team of volunteers headed by residents Annette Freund, Maria LaSalvia, and members of the Mahwah Beautification Committee have been working over the past few months to secure donations for the monuments and surrounding landscaping at Veterans Park.

The Committee worked with members of township veterans groups to design the memorials.

Each monument depicts a different war:

• American Revolution
• War of 1812
• Spanish American War
• Mexican American War
• Civil War
• World War I
• World War II
• Korean War
• Vietnam War
• Persian Gulf War
• Iraq War
• War on Terror

“We wanted to recognize the military service of our men and women in defending the freedoms we all enjoy,” Stedtler said.

That recognition will headline Monday’s Veterans Day Ceremony. The lineup for the ceremony includes a bit of a twist from the township’s usual one. Instead of veterans addressing the community, the ceremony will be mostly residents addressing township veterans, thanking them for their service, and dedicating the new monument to them.

The entire community is invited to honor the veterans and see the new monuments at the ceremony, happening Monday at 11 a.m. at Veterans Park.

And, residents can still donate to the cause, as volunteers say Phase 3 of the Veterans Park project – which plans to install six flags around the monuments, one for each branch of the military and one for prisoners of war – is underway. The Committee says it hopes to unveil the flags at the township’s 2014 Memorial Day ceremony.