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10 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | NOVEMBER 2021 By Sharon Bond I'm sure you have seen the articles each month and know we have a special place set aside to honor Four Seasons residents who have served their country. When my late husband and I moved here, he added his name to the Veterans Honor Roll, and when the first tree was planted on Trail C to honor Veterans, we attended the small ceremony. Now there is a larger tree, the base of which is surrounded by white stones that carry the names of Veterans who live in Four Seasons, or who have lived in Four Seasons and are on the Honor Roll. This area has been renamed Veterans Park and a new sign has been added so it is easily recognizable. Len Tavernetti has worked tirelessly to make the park attractive and informative and integrate it into the community. He has many sets of flags that he has placed in rotation at the Hillside Cemetery in Redlands at 27 grave markers of WWII heroes who never returned and also uses them on the trail that circles past the Memorial Tree. Last year, due to the virus restrictions on indoor activities, he and 13 volunteers placed 260 of these flags along the length of Four Seasons Circle. The flag display of events, sacrifices, and life for the Greatest Generation Is changed every two weeks, so if you have visited the Veterans Park in the past, visit it again and enjoy the new display of flags. There are flags that honor those MIA in WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam. There are flags that show various military machines, there are flags that show what entertained those who fought in WWII. You will see flags with pictures of WWII Veterans who went on to become movie stars and other entertainers, sports figures, public figures. Some are Purple Heart recipients. Len is excited to announce a new addition to the park, but first a little background. Len went to an Army reunion meeting where there was a silent auction. He saw a large bottle of wine, a Jeroboam. It was labeled Purple Heart Napa Valley Red Wine. Len's was the winning bid, so he acquired a bottle of wine that contained the volume of three bottles of wine. What to do? He then happened on the thought that this could be a fundraiser for the Veterans Park. In addition to the Veterans Memorial Tree, he sought to plant six trees, one for each military branch. Maybe the wine bottle could be used to raise the funds for the trees. He met with the wine club's president Gracy Luna and Teri Becker Di Marino and they agreed to have a fundraiser at the Taste d'Vine Wine Club meeting, with the wine as the "prize." All the tickets were sold and one lucky winner went home with the bottle of wine – and the Veterans Park now had enough funds to purchase six trees. The Tababuhia "Chrysotricha" trees – also known as Golden Trumpet trees – are now planted at Veterans Park (five for now, one more will be added in the Spring) and will be dedicated at a ceremony next month on Dec. 7, the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Please plan to attend the ceremony which will honor all who have served our country. VETERANS PARK A conversation with Len Tavernetti Aerial view of Veterans Park site from November 2013