By Jake Fogal

Continuing its holiday tradition, America’s Gold Star Families and Sgt. Anthony Maddox Memorial have partnered up to sponsor this year’s Fallen Heroes Tree of Honor event. This seasonal tradition offers a celebration of life to military service men and women who defended our country and sacrificed their lives.

In their honor, three trees have been placed in Central Illinois, the largest being 14 feet tall at the Peoria River Front Museum. The second and third trees, both at a height of nine feet, will be located at Central Illinois Regional Airport and the Decatur Civic Center.

Frances Maddox, a Project Chair for AGSF, explains why these trees are so special.

“Each of these trees have ornaments that are handmade which identify the fallen heroes. Name, branch, the state that they are from, the birth and their date of death[will be featured on the ornaments.] Also on the Peoria tree, we have pictures of the fallen hero as well, which makes it a really beautiful statement in memory of our fallen heroes.”

For the second consecutive year, the annual tree lighting ceremony was canceled due to Covid-19 protocols and potential overcrowding for the event. Maddox hopes that the event can return next year.

Community members are invited to visit the trees through the new year, as all locations are expected to remain up until the second weekend in January.

Jake Fogal can be reached at [email protected]