AVM Founder Plants Seeds For AVM Garden To Honor Children

BY CHERYL CONWAY STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - The seeds have been planted and roots are beginning to sprout for a flower garden at the All-Veterans Memorial in Budd Lake.

Charlie Uhrmann, founder of the All-Veterans Memorial, has been tilling the soil since last fall for her next element at the memorial. The garden will feature five variations of flowers in honor of the children and should be in bloom soon.

The formal name of this upcoming element is “Military Child.” The idea grew out of a suggestion by Peg Schultz of Andover, chapter regent of the Morristown Daughters of the American Revolution. Schultz shared her idea with Uhrmann in October 2022 at the Musconetcong Lodge #42 F.& A.M. event which recognized the AVM founder as Patriot of the Year.

“After the ceremony, Peg shared her personal story with me, adding the significance of the dandelion and military children,” explains Uhrmann. “Peg then asked if I would consider adding one very important element to the AVM— a sculpture of a dandelion.”

Explains Schultz, “She didn’t realize there was a flower associated with military brats, or that April 30 is National Military Brat Day in the U.S. We chatted about where and how the term BRAT came about and the history of its first known usage and she was intrigued. BRAT is a term of endearment and one that military kids wear with pride.”

Involved with the AVM for at least five years, Schultz provides an even deeper background.

“The dandelion was chosen as the official flower for the military brat because the plant can take root and flourish practically anywhere the wind blows its seeds,” she explains. “The hardest question for most military brats to answer, including myself, is ‘where are you from?’”

Intrigued, Uhrmann spread the idea the next day, contacting board members to bring the idea to life.

Originally, Uhrmann thought the AVM was complete with the final element, the Prayer Garden.

“I have always believed that the ‘Prayer Garden’ would be the final phase, preordained by God,” says Uhrmann. “However, as Peg passionately shared her story and made the request, I responded like I have always responded in the past and promised to think about it and discuss it with our board members. As I was driving back to the hotel, I realized the obvious void and accepted that I have one more challenge to complete.”

The garden will include five variations of flowers: Three different stages of the dandelion, a poppy and a daisy. The dandelion will represent the resilient life stages of the military child. A red poppy will represent “the life of our fallen warriors; the memory of children, all children, our children during war.” And the daisy symbolizes the innocence and purity and new beginnings for children, “all children,” says Uhrmann, caught up in life’s many battles.

The monument will be made of steel, just under 10 feet and its location is still being considered.

“I feel the monument needs to be all by itself,” says Uhrmann, “so I will build a platform.” It will be built on a large mound of stones.

The sculpture will be done by Tim Sheldon of Wicked Workz.

“Tim crafted and installed the AVM lettering at the Liberty Wall and the Ascension Bell Tower,” says Uhrmann. “He is an outstanding metal craftsman.”

Uhrmann estimates the element will cost about $8,500.

Fundraising was kicked off in March.

“We’ve had several individuals donate money towards the monument,” says Uhrmann.

The main fundraiser is set for Sunday, May 21, at Jersey Girl Brewery in Budd Lake with the Military Child Painting Event from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., followed by the AVM’s Beer Garden Social from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sponsored by the AVM, a non-profit 501©3 organization, 100% of the proceeds will go toward the Military Child Monument. Artist Eileen Schissler of Mt. Olive will be instructing the class. Participants will get to create a replica of the monument — a dandelion to represent the Military Child, explains Schissler, an associate support department supervisor at Home Depot.

“The three flowers repre- sent the stages of a child’s life,” Schlisser explains. “The bud for the infant/toddler, flower for the adolescent and the fuzzy dandelion for the teen.”

The flower will be painted with acrylics on a black canvas, she describes.

For the Military Child Painting event, Uhrmann asks participants to register to ensure there are enough materials. Anyone aged 16-90 is welcome but there is a limit of 50 attendees. The cost is $45, which will include all materials and instructions.

“Each participant will take home their painting, and a gift bag from the AVM,” says Uhrmann.

To raise additional funds, “We are selling dandelion necklaces for $20,” says Uhrmann, at the upcoming 2023 Memorial Remembrance Day event set for Monday, May 29, at the AVM.

“Monument and Memorial Day will be connected,” she says. She has picked the keynote speaker and theme, “Why We Serve.”

“I feel it is important for us to learn about the life of how our fallen warriors lived and the reasons behind their service,” says Uhrmann. “Annually we gather together as a nation in May to honor those who lost their lives in battle. I feel we should know more about their lives and service. This year we will learn about what it is like to serve and why some make the decision to put themselves in the line of fire.”

As the daughter of a career Air Force Veteran, and former Air Force wife, Schultz has some roots into the military and looks forward to watching the garden flourish.

“I think this element is important so the children of our active-duty military and the grown children of our veterans know that they matter; that all the moving, changing schools, leaving friends, making new friends and taking on extra chores at home mattered,” she says. “That we, as a community and as a nation recognize they performed a service to our country by supporting their military parent(s).”

According to an article published by American Psychological Association on military children and families, approximately two million children in the U.S. have or have had a parent serve in the military over the past decade. These children have had to deal with parental absences, threat of potential harm to their parents as well as aftermath of wartime deployment including parental physical and mental injury or death. Considering the children, and all they endure, Uhrmann says “I do not believe there is enough attention or support or understanding regarding the many challenges military children face. “We were all once children,” she says. “Raising our children is one of the most important and challenging jobs we will ever face. As time goes on, that challenge becomes more and more difficult. We are supposed to be the stewards of nation and our children’s future; yet I find myself worrying about the stability of our nation. I sincerely pray we can come together as a community, if not for any other common reason than to demonstrate love, support and solidarity for our children and their children’s future.”

“The great thing about dandelions is that, even though they are considered a weed, they do not take nutrients from their surroundings. Dandelions do not dare to be the submissive plant, nor the dominant plant. They live as equals in their surroundings. Look at the grass around the dandelion. Is it not just as green as it was before? The grass and the dandelion live side by side.

When a dandelion is plucked and a wish is made as the seeds are tenderly blown, the seeds float on the wind, finding a new home. There, the seeds find a new home and flourish, living side by side with their new neighbors. Only a dandelion can understand another dandelion and the journey the dandelion has been on. That is the Military Brat. And it is why we adopted the dandelion as the official flower of Brats. Military Brats know what other Brats endure and feel. Only Brats understand. No matter how many degrees a civilian holds, the Military Brat life is one that one MUST live…MUST experience to fully understand. Brats will, like we were trained, help other Brats…unnoticed and unheralded. After all, it is our job.”

— Rae Shue Blalack