The National Garden Clubs Inc., Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Districts II and III, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will be dedicating a Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker to honor the country's Armed Forces on Oct. 14.

The event will take place at 2 p.m., at the Hickory Run Service Plaza, mile post 86.1, with a reception to follow.All civic organizations, veterans, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and the general public are invited to attend.The Blue Star Memorial Program honors service men and women.The program began with the planting of 8,000 Dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II.In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted the program and began a Blue Star Highway system, which covers thousands of miles across the Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. A large metal Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker was placed at appropriate locations along the way.The program was expanded to include all men and women who had served, were serving, or would serve, in the armed services of the United States.The Blue Star became an icon in World War II and was seen on flags and banners in homes for sons and daughters away at war, as well as in churches and businesses.For more information, contact Barbara Grosso at (570) 454-5877 or Chris Leskosky (570) 459-0239.