Mural of Appreciation

Mural of Appreciation. . , In April 2024, Bedford Get Together, Inc. issued a call for artists to create a mural honoring the contributions of Bedford's diverse military community. This vision pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of all military members, emphasizing the fundamental ideal that those who serve, regardless of race, national origin, or gender, stand together in support of one another and the broader community. The completed mural is intended to inspire appreciation, deepen understanding, and instill a sense of respect and pride in the achievements of our diverse community, including those who have served on the home front. This meaningful work was inspired by lifelong Marine and Korean War veteran Dan Villareal and made possible through the generosity of community donors and volunteers, all of whose support helped transform this tribute into a lasting artistic legacy., [Captions:] , The journey culminates in the present day, where the scene depicts a female service member reuniting with her family. The backdrop is a tribute to modern-day Bedford, featuring recognizable landmarks such as the Courthouse clock tower, the Bower Center for the Arts, and the prominently displayed clock in Centertown Park., Of the 30,000 residents of Bedford County at the time, a total of 4,000 of them served in world war two. Postcards were a popular form of communication with the home front during world war two and beyond. The first postcard honors service in the Army Air Corps in World War II., The second post card depicts a 1940s-50s ship that pays tribute to the contributions of our military's maritime component - Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine - in both world war two and the Korean War., This postcard pays respect to Elizabeth Teass, the telegraph operator who received the news that 19 Bedford men died on D-Day. The first four telegrams came on July 17, 1944, six weeks after the deaths; the last telegram came in September. In July, families were invited to stay at the Presbyterian Church for a 10-day period while awaiting news of their loved ones. Some of the telegrams were bicycled to the Church by Carl Overstreet, a Green's Drugstore employee., This postcard refers to the Vietnam War, where helicopters were a major weapon in the U.S. arsenal. During this war, the U.S. saw increased progress in the integration of women into the Armed Forces as they assumed more varied roles and responsibilities beyond medical service, which was their primary role previously. While it is impossible to determine the exact number of men and women from Bedford who served in this War, 13 Bedford residents lost their lives as a result of serving there., All my love, See you soon , These red dots and dashes are the Morse code that reads "All my love, See you soon." Morse Code was invented in 1836 as a hard-wired communication method used to transmit telegrams by encoding text as dots and dashes. The military started using it in 1854. Morse code is still in use today by the Navy, primarily in submarine communications., This last postcard represents the military's time in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations while fighting the "Global War on Terror (GWOT)." This conflict was the first to see women exposed to combat conditions on a large scale., This Mural of Appreciation was funded through Bedford Get Together, Inc., and it was designed and painted by Tandem Arts Collective. You can find more of their work at tandemartscollective.com. The Town of Bedford supported the Artists throughout the painting of the mural. Stephen Wandrei generously allowed the wall of his business to be used for the display of the mural.