Here is a wonderful new project and the letter from Reg regarding it:
Cauquigny Church Stained Glass Project
Here is the letter from Reg:
Dear Mare ,
My buddy Mark Patterson , who realized the window project in Angoville au Plain , Normandy started to raise funds for his new Stained Glass Project . This time to honor the 82nd at La Fière .
People can donate by purchasing Sponsor certificates or contribute by sending in their own design of what the window should look like .
Myself , BB tours, sponsored the project .
The website is online since yesterday . You can find all info there .
I think you might want to put that link on the 82nd website or on the engineers site . Funds are needed to realize this project which is a very nobel initiative .and it has all my support !
Here’s the link : http://www.pararesearchteam.com/Stained-Gl...ny-Project.html
All the best
Hugs
Reg
Mare's note: I placed the link on the 82nd Airborne site I run, too. http://www.504thpir.net
Hi All
Please correct me if I'm wrong Reg, but I would add some of these little churches were used as First Aid Stations during WWll. Help from the town people made it possible for many of our soldiers to receive medical attention. Today in many of the little villages along the Normandy Coast you'll see monuments bought and maintained by the villagers themselves to honor the American Soldiers. Some of these villages only have a population of 53 people! As the Elders pass on, the next generation takes over the maintenance and upkeep of these monuments and churches.
When we were there in Feb, we visited the Angoville Au Plain Church and listened to the story of how 2 Engineer Medic's established an Aid Station at the Angoville Church. For 3 days fighting continued around them while they treated wounded soldiers. 65 years later you can still see the blood ingrained in the pews and bullet marks about the church. Most of these churches still hold services today and the villagers receive no help from state, gov't or grants, they use their own money out of their own pockets. Not once did we see a monument in need of repair.
When told my dad was an American Soldier and participated in the Normandy Landings they smiled big with thank you's - even the grandkids with a shy thank you. It was a very moving experience to waik in the same steps as my dad, only my experience was a much more pleasant walk then his.
Thanks to Vee, by her suggestion we spent 2 days with the Battle Bus. I think because it was off season and there were only 4 of us onboard we saw much more then they normally show. We were treated like VIP's! We also spent time in the St-Mere-Eglise Church. It's much smaller then it seemed in the movie "The Longest Day" To see the windows through a picture is beautiful, but to see the windows in a church setting while you're standing there watching the outdoor light bring movement, and they come alive is breath taking.
I'm normally a behind the scenes person but because I was there and experienced first hand the work of a master Mark Patterson, I believe this is a most worthwhile project. And yes, because of the graditude and rerevence these people still pay our dads, sons, brothers, uncles, grandads and friends after all these years makes a pretty big impression.
I've never had the honor to meet Mark Patterson nor Reg, but thank you for such dedication.
Nancy
By sheer accident, I wound up meeting Vivian this week, and we have already become steadfast friends in two days. Funny how that's happens sometimes. I think the same thing happened between you and I Nancy, didn't it.
Okay, who is Vivian? Well go to her site and see:
http://www.lafiere.com/
I just introduced her web this week, and am proud to give it more exposure here.
One of the emails I sent to her mentioned the stained glass project, and she wrote back and asked how I found out about it, and I told her about my friend Reg. She does not know Reg yet, but I'm sure they will meet in the future. However, they have friends in common.
She responded,
Funny how things get around!!!! Mark came to see me to ask me to coordinate his request to do this project with the Amfreville Mayor. Our Association U. S. Normandie is seated in Amfreville (just across the bridge form here). My webmaster is Donald Van den Bogert and he is sponsoring the project by making the certificates of sponsorship and announcing it all from his website. We dreamed this up quickly and hope it takes off...
Small world!