The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove

The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove. . , In 2010, the Grove was found to be overgrown and unsafe for public access. A local elected official organized a community cleanup and over 1000 volunteers answered his call. On a 3-day weekend, these concerned citizens (including school children) removed over 800 tons of debris. Once the clean up was completed, a group of citizens, with input from two Medal of Honor recipients, realized there was a need for an organized group to maintain the Grove. In 2011 the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove was organized as a non-profit and entered into an agreement with the owner (The Freedoms Foundation) to maintain, improve and enhance the Medal of Honor Grove., The Friends is an all-volunteer organization. They receive no state or federal funding and rely on donations from corporations, patriotic organizations and the general public to fund their mission., Many area businesses have provided services at little or no cost over the past years to help us with our mission. A dedicated core group of volunteers help with bi-annual clean-ups or emergency clean-ups after a storm. Businesses, active military and civic groups also help with projects in the Grove during community service days and Eagle Scout candidates have earned their Eagle Scout rank by completing projects in the Grove. The Friends are grateful for the continued support of the community, without which we could not continue our mission., In 2012, the Friends added over 250 names of MoH recipients on obelisks as well as over 700 ground plaques that had never been installed. Now, new recipients are added yearly as the medal is awarded. Over 500 dead or diseased trees have been removed and over 150 new trees and shrubs have been planted. The Friends have paved over 4 miles of roadway to provide a safe walking environment for visitors and flag poles have been added to each area. The Friends have built the Friends Education Center to be used for holding educational programs. A gazebo has been built to honor military personnel killed in training accidents. There are informational signs throughout the Grove for visitors to learn about the history of the Grove as well as the environmental initiative that has been launched by the Friends. In 2017 an agreement between Freedoms Foundation, Chester County, Schuylkill Township and Natural Lands Trust placed the Grove under a conservation easement securing its preservation in perpetuity. In 2019 the Grove was approved for Level 1 arboretum accreditation through the Arborist program., It has been, and will continue to be, our honor and privilege to maintain, improve and enhance the Medal of Honor Grove as a living legacy to all our nation's Medal of Honor recipients.