Beaverton, Oregon, recently announced itself as the Purple Heart City in honor of the veterans who live there. It became official during a ceremony in Veteran's Memorial Park, where a sign was erected declaring the city's new title.
City officials award Purple Heart vets with proclamation
A group of veterans had gathered outside the Beaverton City Council, where they asked city officials to consider making Beaverton a Purple Heart City.
After hearing about their drive, Mayor Denny Doyle informed the veterans that he would do whatever he could to ensure that the Oregon League of Cities heard about their request. He was impressed by the dedication and passion that the veterans put into getting officials to include Beaverton in the Purple Heart Cities.
Officials did not hesitate to honor them with a proclamation. Now Beaverton is one of eight Purple Heart Cities in Oregon and is currently the largest in the group.
"Beaverton appreciates the sacrifices our Purple Heart recipients made in defending our freedoms and believes it is important that we acknowledge them for their courage and show them the honor and support they have earned," stated the proclamation.
City Councilor Lacey Beaty told The Oregonian that people often forget that these veterans sacrificed so much for them. Including Beaverton in the list of cities will ensure that the residents never forget what these men and women have done to protect them.
Veterans gather and reflect
Joel Dulashanti, a retired Army sniper, told The Oregonian that this proclamation is a great way to spread awareness of the sacrifices veterans have made fighting for their country. Dulashanti was shot four times during his tour in Afghanistan and lost one of his legs, returning home as a Purple Heart recipient. He is one of the leaders of the drive to make more cities Purple Heart Cities with the ultimate goal of turning Oregon into the Purple Heart State.
"I believe that this event is going to be a huge deal that will get the ball rolling for a lot of things legislatively throughout our state that'll support our veterans," Dulashanti said in a meeting held to announce the city's new title, according to the news source.
There were eight other Purple Heart recipients who fought in various wars, from Afghanistan to Vietnam, gathered at the meeting. Other veterans also showed up to support the city's decision to honor their fellow vets.
Purple Heart veteran Allen Bush was also in attendance. He told stories of how he came to the aid of his fellow soldiers after being seriously injured by two grenade explosions during the terrorist attack on Puerto Rico in 1997. Bush received a Silver Star, one of the highest honors in the military, for his act of bravery. However, Bush was humble about his awards, saying that he may have sacrificed his well-being, but many soldiers who received a Purple Heart sacrificed their entire lives.