For Immediate Release

Monday, Oct. 21, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

*MEDIA ADVISORY* Town of Andover To Be Recognized As Purple Heart Community

ANDOVER — Town Manager Andrew Flanagan is pleased to announce that the Town of Andover will be recognized as a Purple Heart Community during a special ceremony later this week. 

WHEN:

Thursday, Oct. 24, beginning at 6 p.m.

WHERE: 

The J. Everett Collins Center, Andover High School Auditorium, 80 Shawsheen Road, Andover.

WHAT:

The Military Order of the Purple Heart will officially recognize the Town of Andover as a Purple Heart Community and members of the community are invited and encouraged to attend. 

“For more than 200 years the Purple Heart has been a symbol of bravery, courage and patriotism, and it is a tremendous honor to have this designation for the Town of Andover,” said Director of Veterans Services Mark Comeiro. “Andover has a long history of military service, and this ceremony will honor those men and women from our community who have answered the call in support of their country.”

The Purple Heart medal is presented to U.S. military service members who have been wounded or killed by enemy fire. It was originally awarded by George Washington in 1782 to recognize meritorious service in combat. It is the nation’s oldest and one of its most distinguished military awards. 

A total of 17 residents from the Town of Andover have received the Purple Heart, and they will be honored at the ceremony.

Becoming a Purple Heart community also means the Town of Andover will join the Purple Heart Trail, a national network of roads, bridges, highways and other monuments and trails honoring soldiers who have received a Purple Heart.

Following the ceremony the town will hang a Purple Heart banner from a light pole in front of Town Hall. The banner will be visible 24 hours a day, year round. 

The town will also fly a flag every Aug. 7 in recognition of Purple Heart Day, and will soon erect a sign to notify people entering the town of the Purple Heart Community designation. 

There will be light refreshments following the ceremony.

For more information on the Oct. 24 ceremony or to RSVP, contact the Andover Veterans Office at 978-623-8381 or email Comeiro at mark.comeiro@andoverma.us.

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