Chillicothe was designated a Purple Heart City in late June with a monument dedicated in Veterans Park on Veterans Day 2021. Melody Lapczynski, who organized the drive for Chillicothe’s Purple Heart status, appeared on a Litter Media Special Edition interview with Dan Ramey where she gave a follow up on the dedication of the Purple Heart Monument.
Money was raised in the community went for the constructing the Purple Heart Monument and the Purple Heart City signs that appear at the various City of Chillicothe entrances.
(Melody Lapczynski Appearing On Litter Media Live Special Edition)
The surplus of the funds raised for the monument and signs have been donated to the group known as Veterans In Transition, which is based at the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs Medical Center. They have been presented a check for over $3,567.
(Chillicothe) — The Purple Heart Committee in Chillicothe has announced that the Purple Heart Monument Dedication ceremony will be held November 11th at 1pm.
The ceremony will be at the Veterans Memorial Park on the corner of Park and Chestnut Streets where the monument will be located. The ceremony will be open to the public.
A short program that will include the Honor Guard and presentation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Guest speakers include Chillicothe Mayor, Luke Feeney; Purple Heart Committee Chairperson, Melody Lapczynski; and Ben Daughters, a local Purple Heart recipient.
Gerry Palmer, President of the Ross County Veterans Council, will serve as Master of Ceremony during the event.
See our Litter Media Live interview below, with Melody Lapczynski.
(Chillicothe) – The City of Chillicothe received the designation of a Purple Heart City during City Council’s meeting on June 28, 2021, with a ceremony from the Patriot Members of Ohio Military Order of the Purple Heart Honor Guard. This designation honors military personnel wounded and/or killed in combat by hostile forces. The honor was first created by General George Washington in 1782, known then as the Badge of Military Merit, and is the United States’ oldest military medal.
Additionally, the local committee that has been the driving force behind this designation, is working towards erecting a monument in honor of the Purple Heart City designation. This monument will be installed in Veteran’s Memorial Park, which was established in 2004 to honor the citizens of the Chillicothe-Ross County area who have served in foreign wars. Veteran’s Memorial Park is located on Park Street and Yoctangee Parkway near downtown Chillicothe’s historic district.
Currently in Ohio, there are approximately fifty Purple Heart Cities in Ohio. There are a total of ninety-seven cities, villages, counties, bridges, interstates, school, and universities designated as Purple Heart entities in the State of Ohio. These honorary visuals serve as a reminder to those passing by that other individuals have paid a high price for their freedom to travel and live in a free society.
The committee is now turning to the community for donations to help with the cost of the monument. Donations should be made payable to the Ross County Veterans Council and mailed to 230 N. Plaza Blvd., Chillicothe, OH 45601 by November 1, 2021. Please note on checks “Purple Heart” to ensure that your donation is processed for the project. Donations can also be made in- person at the Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau at the same address.
There will be a commemoration event and reveal of the Purple Heart City monument that will take place on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2021, at Veteran’s Memorial Park. More details will be announced closer to the event date. For more information, you can reach Melody Lapczynski at mfLapczynski@gmail.com or (740) 703-9957.
Chillicothe City Council will meet in Council Chambers in regular session on Monday June 28th at 7pm.
There will be a special ceremony including an Honor Guard and a presentation to the city declaring Chillicothe to be a ‘Purple Heart City’.
The meeting will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
The meeting is open to the public with restrictions and limited seating.
There will be another future ceremony in the Veterans Memorial Park to be announced to also commemorate the designation to the city. That venue will be open to provide a larger public participation.
