11-14-2024 4:05am

American Legion Honors Veterans with Brick Project

Lesley Misko Editor

by Lesley Misko

Focusing on area veterans during the month of November, Boyertown American Legion Post 0471 invites you to help expand their Honor Display, located at the Legion’s headquarters, 100 Walker Drive in Boyertown.

Continuing a project begun about two years ago, the Legion invites family and friends of area veterans to purchase a brick with the veteran’s name. The Legion is hoping to add at least 100 bricks to the ground around the flagpole this month.

Chaplain Mark Malizzi, who works with many regional First Responders teams and Veterans and Charities programs, emphasizes that “this Honor display is not a memorial, so the veteran being honored does not have to be deceased. It could be someone who is serving right now.”

The bricks are available in two sizes: a 4x8 for $40 or an 8x8 for $75, and they can be ordered by clicking here to visit the website, downloading the form, and submitting it before the end of November. The Legion also has a Facebook page. Extra revenue from the brick sale will be used to help fund additional activities for local Veterans.

In addition to the bricks and the American flag, a Boyertown Bear stands guard at the Honor Display. The bear wears the uniform of the soldier that stands guard at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

One of Malizzi’s goals is to make the American Legion the most patriotic building in Berks County. “No veteran gets forgotten about. We have so many people in this area who have served. Sometimes you just have to write it in stone,” Malizzi concludes.