Sleepy Hollow, NY— 12/25/20 — Armando “Chick” Galella, Sleepy Hollow, New York resident and decorated WWII veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor, has expressed his gratitude to the many donors who have supported the $100,000+ campaign to commission, erect, and maintain a Gold Star Mother Memorial to honor Margaret J Horan, mother of John J Horan who was killed on December 7, 1941 during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The campaign was in partnership with The Historical Society of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. The Society is still accepting donations for the future maintenance of the monument.
Committee chairman Chick Galella celebrated his 100th birthday on January 1, 2021. Chick stated, “Words of gratitude are not enough. I want to thank the many donors who helped make this dream come true. What a way to celebrate my 100th Birthday. My special thanks go to Historical Society and the Village of Sleepy Hollow.”
The Gold Mother Memorial Committee of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown is comprised of; Vivian Allen, President of the Gold Star Mothers of Hudson Valley. Vivian of Chester, New York lost her son 1st Lieutenant Lou Allen in 2005 while serving in Iraq; Michael Dawley, a Sleepy Hollow resident, President of Bluefin Partners, LLC, and retired Managing Director of Goldman Sachs; Ms. MaryAnn Ragusa a 1996 graduate of Sleepy Hollow High School and a veteran’s advocate; Colonel Adam Subervi, USMC; Lt. Colonel Kurt Perhach, U S Army. The Historical Society of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown joined with the committee to facilitate the project.
The life-size bronze is the work of distinguished sculptor, Andrew Chernak. Mr. Chernak is a decorated Vietnam War Veteran whose work is internationally acclaimed. The memorial will be placed at Horan’s Landing, a park in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The Trustees of the Village of Sleepy Hollow hosted the ceremonial groundbreaking on Chick’s 100th birthday, January 1, 2021 at 4:30 PM at Horan’s Landing park in Sleepy Hollow.
The formal dedication of the Memorial will be held on Sunday May, 9 2021 at 1:00 PM.
The American Gold Star Mothers is a private, nonprofit organization of American mothers who lost sons or daughters in service of the United States Armed Forces. It was originally formed in 1928 for mothers of those lost in World War I, and it holds a congressional charter under Title 36 § 211 of the United States Code. Its name came from the hanging of the gold star custom mentioned above.
Membership in the organization is open to any woman who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident that has lost a son or daughter in active service in the U.S. military regardless of the place or time of the military service, regardless of whether the circumstances of death involved hostile conflict or not, and including mothers of those missing in action.
