Can-Am Sussex County Miners

Sussex County Miners & Rolling Thunder Inc to Hold POW/MIA Chair of Honor Ceremony August 3

Published on July 30, 2019 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Sussex County Miners News Release


Augusta, NJ - The 2018 Can-Am League Champion Sussex County Miners and Rolling Thunder®, Inc. are paying tribute to all United States Armed Forces' Prisoners of War (POWs) and Missing in Action (MIA) by hosting a special POW/MIA Chair of Honor dedication ceremony. Taking place on Saturday, August 3 at 5:30pm, the POW/MIA Chair of Honor is an empty seat that serves as a symbol to remind everyone to never forget servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice and there will always symbolically be a seat at Skylands Stadium for their return. The Miners will be one of four New Jersey professional baseball teams that have a POW/MIA Chair of Honor along with the Camden River Sharks, Somerset Patriots and Trenton Thunder.

"Our organization and our fans always strive to express our eternal gratitude and respect for the United States Armed Forces. We are honored to partner with Rolling Thunder®, Inc. and host this momentous ceremony to honor our soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice, held as a POW or listed MIA whose remains have not been returned." Sussex County Miners General Manager Justin Ferrarella said. "We hope this memorial will serve as an everlasting symbol of thanks and honor to servicemen and servicewomen for generations to come."

The commemoration will begin with a Rolling Thunder®, Inc. bike parade around the warning track. Following the National Anthem, including a color guard presentation by Retired Chief George Lott of Lt. Robert A. Madden VFW Post 10152, the POW/MIA Chair of Honor will be unveiled by Jim Langerbach, best friend of POW/IA SSGT Robert Scherdin who was wounded and left behind in Vietnam. Taps will then be played by bugler Peter Gasiewicz, Veteran US Marines, Vietnam. Elaine Martin, National Secretary for the POW/MIA Chair of Honor Committee will speak and present a letter written by United States Senators Corey Booker and Robert Menendez recognizing the dedication. Additional remarks will be made by Frankford Township Deputy Mayor Nicholas Citivan, Frankford Township Committeeman Christopher Carney Congressman and Joshua Gottheimer Representative Patrick Sheehan. The ceremony will conclude with bagpipe player Lance Evans, Veteran U.S. Army, Vietnam performing Amazing Grace.

To date, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has placed over 375 POW/MIA Chairs of Honor across the country in state capitols, town halls, colleges, schools and parks. In fact, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. promoted legislation to have the POW/MIA Chair of Honor placed at the U.S. Capitol, Emancipation Hall which was dedicated on November 7, 2017. Plus several Major League Baseball and other professional sports venues have a Chair of Honor including Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox), Progressive Field (Cleveland Indians) and TD Garden (Boston Celtics & Boston Bruins). Gillette Stadium (New England Patriots) was the first sports stadium with "one empty seat" on Veterans Day, 2012. Since World War II, there are over 82,000 unaccounted servicemen.

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Canadian American League Stories from July 30, 2019


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