Ed Preston to be Recognized for Contributions to Community, Veterans Causes
The chairman of the grass-roots organization that is bringing a Vietnam veterans memorial to Lower Bucks County next month will be among those honored as “Hometown Heroes” by the Philadelphia Phillies next week.
Ed Preston, a Hulmeville resident who is spearheading the campaign to bring the Lower Bucks County Vietnam Veterans Memorial to life, will be among a select group of individuals who will be saluted for making a difference in their communities. The celebration will take place during the Phillies’ 1:05 p.m. game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, August 29; Preston will join the Phillies ground crew as they replace third base following the third inning.
Phillies Hometown Heroes this year have included active and retired police, active and retired military, public safety personnel and noteworthy volunteers. Preston founded and chairs the PA Vietnam Veterans Foundation, which is creating the memorial to honor Lower Bucks County servicemen who were killed or missing during the Vietnam War. Dedication of the memorial will be Sunday, September 26th in Veterans Park on Veterans Highway in Middletown Township.
The memorial will include 95 names of servicemen from Lower Bucks County, including 94 killed in action and one missing in action. The memorial sculpture is being created by Abbe Godwin, a highly regarded creator of works memorializing members of the armed services, whose works include the Corpsman Memorial and the Peacekeeper statue at the Beirut Memorial, both at Camp Johnson in Jacksonville, NC; and the North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the state capitol in Raleigh.
The memorial will honor sons of Bensalem Township, Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, Falls Township, Hulmeville Borough, Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Manor Borough, Lower Makefield Township, Lower Southampton Township, Middletown Township, Morrisville Borough, Newtown Borough, Newtown Township, Northampton Township, Penndel Borough, Upper Makefield Township, Upper Southampton Township, and Wrightstown Township.
The anticipated $250,000.00 cost of the memorial is being funded by state and local grants, and through various fund-raising efforts. Donations can be made at www.lbcvvm.org.
In addition to the PA Vietnam Veterans Foundation, Preston also is founder and chair of the Penndel-Hulmeville Memorial Day Parade and chaired The Wall in Bucks County, the grassroots organization that brought the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to the area. Upwards of 25,000 people visited the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall during its July 14-16 run in Penndel in 2017. The event also raised more than $31,000 in money and goods that was donated to local and national veterans causes.
About the Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation
The Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation is 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to preserving the legacy and memory of those from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as from Lower Bucks County, who served in Vietnam War, including those who were killed or are missing in action and those who returned only to suffer the effects of the war for the remainder of their lives. More information is available at www.lbcvvm.org.