By Heather Lusk
Many may lament holiday decorations popping up this time of the year, but there is a special purpose behind the Heroes’ Tree – honoring the sacrifices of military personnel – which will make its 2015 debut at the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library on Veterans Day.
Zionsville residents of all ages are encouraged to honor deceased and current military personnel and veterans with an ornament placed on the tree. Materials to create an ornament will be in the library, but ornaments created at home are also welcome.
The tree is white to be differentiated from the other seven holiday trees in the library during December. The red and blue decorations also stand out vividly on the white branches.
“Instead of being one of many, it’s a special tree,” said Jamie Schlenk, Youth Services Department head for the library.
She estimates that the tree has been at the library for eight years, although the national program from the Indiana State Library and Purdue University is much older.
“They try to do this across the country, not just Indiana,” Schlenk said.
In the past, ornaments have been marked with a name and branch of service, while others have a whole story, according to Schlenk, adding that ornaments can be as simple as gluing a picture to a piece of paper.
“A lot of people leave their ornaments, and we put them up the next year,” she said.
The tree will be taken down around the first of the year, and participants may keep their ornaments if they’d like.
In conjunction with the tree honoring veterans, Epsilon Sigma Alpha is collecting donations for homeless veterans for their Winter Warm-Up. They are requesting men’s winter wear, pants, socks and gloves along with personal items such as toothbrushes, deodorant and shaving supplies.
The tree and donation collection bin will be on the first floor of the library in the youth services area.
