FLORISSANT, Colo — A special ceremony was held over the weekend honoring Purple Heart Veterans in the community of Florissant. It marked the first official public proclamation that the community is a Purple Heart Community along the Purple Heart Trail.
On Saturday, the organization's two Quilts of Valor made by the Florissant Grange Quilters were presented at the community's grange hall where local veterans of all generations were honored for their service.
The national organization which has chapters across the United States comprises volunteers from across the country who make quilts for veterans to provide support and healing.
The Purple Heart Sign that sits outside of the Florissant Grange Hall was dedicated at the event, officially signaling Florissant's point along the Purple Heart Trail.
The Purple Heart Trail was a national movement on the part of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, a group founded on "the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration".
The Purple Heart Trail was a program established in 1992 as an effort to remember those who have been injured or given their lives for the United States. The effort was established along the nation's highways and interstates across the country.
In February, Highway 67 and Highway 24 were designated as Purple Heart Trail roads, and in 2023 Teller County was designated a Purple Heart County.
___
Rocky Ford Melons are on the way
Rocky Ford farmers have been making their way from the farm to a grocery store near you. Tag along for the harvest and see what the process is like that is a staple of the Lower Arkansas River Valley.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
