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Council votes to approve Purple Heart City proclamation

Date: 5/8/2015

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The West Springfield Town Council voted unanimously to accept a proclamation that would name it an official Purple Heart City on May 4.

Cities and towns with this designation become part of the Purple Heart Trail, created by the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The trail’s purpose is to “create a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges and other monuments that give tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart,” according to its website.

Chris Lizotte, West Springfield’s veteran’s services director, brought this idea to West Springfield after meeting with Brian Willette, the Chapter Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Western Massachusetts Chapter 875.

Lizotte took action and sent the proclamation for the Town Council to approve.

He said the designation take West Springfield up another level in terms of honoring veterans.

“It’s one more step for the town to really acknowledge veterans. Purple Heart veterans are different because they were wounded in combat,” Lizotte said. “This is a different group that we are really honoring. They had to make the ultimate sacrifice. It’s just one more step that we’re taking to really recognize the veterans.”

While the Town Council and Mayor Edward Sullivan have signed off on the proclamation, West Springfield needs to wait for the National Military Order of the Purple Heart to confirm the designation.

When this step is completed, an official ceremony will be set up to honor West Springfield’s status a Purple Heart City. Eventually, the city will have a flag and signs to mark it.

More than signs, becoming a Purple Heart City will help West Springfield recognize its veterans, Lizotte said.

“I’m not a Purple Heart veteran but I do have several friends who did receive the Purple Heart in combat, and it means a lot knowing that there are programs out there like this to honor this select group of veterans,” he said. “They paid a sacrifice for this, so to be able to honor them, it’s absolute amazing to be able to honor those men and women.”

For more information about the Purple Heart Trail, visit www.purpleheart.org.