veterans walkway of honor
DANBURY
-- The bricks come in two sizes, and their
inscriptions range from a name and a branch of
military service to elaborate engravings that
include military emblems, unit designations and the
medals awarded.
But according to
Lee Teicholz, a retired Danbury police officer who
came up with the idea for the Veterans Walkway of
Honor, untold stories are behind each of the 255
bricks -- stories of honor, courage and sacrifice.
On Sunday
afternoon, the Veterans Walk of Honor was dedicated
outside the Danbury War Memorial.
Together, the 255 bricks that comprise the walkway,
and those added in the future, will serve as a
"permanent reminder that freedom is not really free,
that it comes with a heavy price," Teicholz said.
Several hundred current and former Danbury residents
-- some whose names are inscribed on the 4-inch by
8-inch or 8-inch square bricks, others who bought
them to memorialize loved ones who had served in
times of war and in times of peace -- attended the
ceremony.
"This is a
permanent, commemorative walkway to those men and
women who answered the call of duty," said state
Rep. Jan Geigler, R-Danbury. "Their sacrifice has
earned them our lasting gratitude.
Among those honored
with bricks were brothers James and Taffy Jowdy,
both World War II veterans.
James Jowdy, 89,
was a Navy airman in the Pacific theater who
survived two plane crashes, while his brother was a
sailor whose ship took part in the D-Day invasion of
Normandy in 1944 and Iwo Jima in the Pacific a year
later.
"It's great to be
alive to see it," James Jowdy said as he posed for a
photo with his brother.
Eventually, the walkway will feature as many as
2,000 bricks and will be completed in three phases,
according to Dan Hayes, director of the War
Memorial.
Phil Colla, formerly of Danbury, purchased a brick
honoring his grandfather, Phillip J. Colla, who
served during World War II.
Colla brought his
son, also named Phillip, to the dedication.
"I wanted him to
see who he was named after," Colla said.
Brookfield's Amy
Fagnani, a former Danbury resident, bought a brick
bearing the name of her husband, Vincent, an Army
veteran of Operation Desert Storm. His brick was
installed adjacent to bricks memorializing her
grandfathers, David Abraham and Francis Damici, both
of who served in the Army during World War II.
A number of
families with several veterans asked that the bricks
memorializing their loved ones be grouped together,
Teicholz said.
"That was a big job
to figure out, but it was fun," he said.
The prices of the
bricks range from $100 to $250, depending on the
size and the inscription, officials said.
On Sunday,
organizers presented checks to several veterans'
organizations, including the Wounded Warrior
Project, Operation Vet Fit and Help Our Military
Heroes.
"These men and women are gifts to us," said Mary
Teicholz, who was master of ceremonies.
www.veteranswalkwayofhonor.org