Veterans Advisory Committee (VAC)

Upcoming Meetings

Veterans Advisory Committee Contact: VAC Chairman Rob Challinor is the current Veterans Services Agent, located on the 2nd floor of the town complex. Call 860-963-6800, ext 160

Veterans Park Memorial Bricks - Now taking 2026 orders - DEADLINE DATE IS February 1, 2026 - click for printable order form

Veterans Park Commemorative Brick Program

Phase 3 ~ 2026 ORDER DEADLINE 2/1/26

click for printable form

Take a look at all of the bricks ordered

Phase 2 ~ 2025 - click to see 2025 orders

Phase 1 ~ 2024:

All Brick Orders as of July 17, 2024
All Brick Orders from July 18 - Aug 19, 2024
All Brick Orders from Aug 20 - Sept 3, 2024
VAC organizations bricks (American Legion Post 13, Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse, Cargill Council #64 KofC, Putnam Elks Lodge #574, VFW Post #1523)
Project Partner bricks (Thank you for making this project come to life)
100 Brick Sponsors (American Legion Post 13, Putnam Area Foundation, Spirol)
hint: Searching for a veteran, click the Ctrl button and the letter F, which opens a find box - type in who you are looking for

(note these are facsimile representations only, not to scale, and will be centered properly by the manufacturer.)

Bricks are still available. Bricks ordered AFTER 9/3/24 will be placed in park late spring 2025.

8” x 4” memorial bricks are a striking gray with black letters, with your choice or wording, and with or without a military logo of your choice.

Each brick is $100, including the personalized engraving.

Checks, Cash, or Money Orders are accepted for payment (no online payment method is available)

YES - We can provide you with a nice note to present to someone if you are getting a brick as a gift, including a mock-up of the brick if you request this.

YES - We can group your family bricks together if they are ordered at the same time and you let us know the members of the family.

Questions? Please call Rob Challinor, VAC Chairman, located in the Veteran Service office, 860-963-6800 ext 160.

The VAC is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Click for the VAC's 501(c)(3) designation letter.

VAC's EIN # is 88-4216913

When improvements began....

Hometown Heroes Banners! Now taking orders for 2025 Season ~ click for printable order form

Putnam’s Hometown Hero Banners Rise Again

Order Deadline for 2025 is August 1st - click for printable order form

Read the 2024 Banner story - click here

Meet the 2024-2025 Hometown Heroes in alpha order

These are the banners that you see on poles throughout town from Labor Day to Veterans Day, featuring individual “Hometown Heroes” and their service details.

You may wonder how the veterans appear on the “Hometown Heroes” banners.

Guidelines were set in place, with the goal of honoring our senior veterans so they can enjoy seeing their own banner displayed in the Town of Putnam. They are:

Veteran has a significant tie to the town of Putnam, CT
Must still be living
Provide a copy of your DD214 or equivalent (discharge from service records)

These requirements may change in the future and may be limited at any time to particular conflict eras. All requests will be reviewed by and accepted by the VAC.

Cost of these banners is $125. You may choose to pay for your own, make a contribution (checks to Putnam Veterans Advisory Committee, c/o Recreation Department, 200 School St, Putnam, CT 06260) to support future banners, or take advantage of the other veterans & community members who have donated to this project.

Your banner can be created if you supply:

Service photo (relatively good quality)
Branch of service
Era served (example WWII, Korea, Vietnam)

We are happy to talk to you and help get your banner flying.

Call the town hall at 860-963-6800 ext 140 or email putnamveteranscommittee@gmail.com to set up a time.

Banners fly for 2 seasons, Labor Day through Veterans Day, then are presented to you as a keepsake.

The VAC is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Click for the VAC's 501(c)(3) designation letter.

VAC's EIN # is 88-4216913

Upcoming Events ~ Please Attend to Celebrate all of our Veterans!

Veteran's Advisory Committee in THE NEWS

2025 VETERAN BRICK ORDER DEADLINE FEBRUARY 1ST ~ Commemorative Veteran bricks are still for sale. The annual order deadline of February 1, 2025 is rapidly approaching -Read the whole story

1^st Layout with alpha and numeric characters only. 20 TOTAL spaces available per line. Blank spaces and punctuation are counted as spaces. For example: Alan R Joslin = 13 spaces used

2^nd Layout with alpha and numeric characters AND a military logo. 15 TOTAL spaces available per line. Blank spaces and punctuation are counted as spaces. For example: Vietnam Era = 11 spaces used

VETERAN STORIES ENGRAVED IN BRICKS – THE PROJECT CONTINUES - Read the whole story

Mayotte-Viens American Legion Post 13 Golf Tournament Committee donates $12,000 to the Veterans Park Improvement! This happened before the VAC 10/10/24 meeting!

L-R: Mike Vassar (Veteran, VAC member, Am Legion Post 13 member & former commander), Brian Maynard (Veteran, Am Leg Post 13 member & former commander), Dave Gilbert (Veteran, VAC member, Elks Lodge #574 & Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse member), Barney Seney (Veteran, Putnam Mayor, Am Legion Post 13 member & former commander, Elks #574 member - and MUCH MORE), Rob Challinor (Veteran, VAC chairman, VFW Post 1523 member), Michael Rocchetti (Veteran, Am Legion Post 13 member & current commander), Jim Bradley (Veteran, VAC member, VFW Post 1523 & Knights of Columbus member), Alan Joslin (Veteran, VAC member, Am Legion Post 13 member & former commander, Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse member). Photo courtesy of Putnam VAC - forgive any omissions to the membership of any of these veterans in any particular veterans club.

Park Update October 2024 ~ The Ellis Tech masonry students came back to the school year ready to go and placed 500 new memorial bricks into the park. Over 1500 veterans bricks are in the park now - with about 700 more bricks still to come from the manufacturer. What a tribute to the service of these veterans. Additionally, Ellis Tech masonry students poured pads for the benches and garbage cans that will placed in the park soon. The improvements to the park are nothing short of amazing. We hope you stop in and visit soon!

Park Update July 2024 ~ As of July 20, more than 700 personalized bricks have been placed in the park honoring our veterans. As we continue to promote the finish the brick campaign, you will continue to see small improvements over the next few weeks, as we are being told the granite stones should be arriving in the next 30 days. Read the whole story...

March 2024 ~ Putnam Area Foundation Presents Major Donation to Veteran’s Park Rehab ~ As an important and impactful supporter of projects, events and the people of the Putnam area, the Putnam Area Foundation (PAF) presented a donation of $10,000 to the Putnam Veteran’s Advisory Committee (VAC) for the rehabilitation and upgrades to Veteran’s Park... Click to read the whole story

FROM THE WINY RADIO NEWSROOM 03/13/24: FROM AMERICAN LEGION POST 13:

The Mayotte-Viens Post 13 American Legion of Putnam CT recently donated $10,000 to Putnam’s Veterans Advisory Committee (VAC) for the Veterans Memorial Park upgrade project. The American Legion presented the check at the VAC’s monthly meeting...Click to read the whole story from WINY Radio

“The watchwords for the Wreaths Across America Observance are: Remember, Honor, and Teach”. ...Click to read the whole story by Putnam Town Crier, Linda Lemmon

The Memorial Brick Project Continues on with Success! ... It will be a memorial allowing us to take a reflective & appreciative historic walk reviewing these bricks honoring so many that gave their service....Click to read the whole story

Paving the Way to Veteran’s Park Commemorative Brick Program

The Putnam Veteran’s Advisory Committee (VAC), comprised of members from various military organizations, are collaborating once again on the Veteran’s Park project to celebrate, bring honor and give thanks to Veterans... Click to read the whole story

Remembering Those Who Died in Beirut Bombing 40 Years Ago. By Linda Lemmon, Town Crier Editor

PUTNAM — As is tradition, the Mayotte- Viens American Legion Post 13 organized the Beirut Barracks Bombing Remembrance Ceremony Oct. 21.

Read the entire story.....

By Linda Lemmon, Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — It’s thumbs up for the next step in the rebirth of Veterans Park.
Robert Challinor Jr., who heads the town’s Veterans Advisory Committee, said Harvard H. Ellis Tech masonry and electrical students will be starting work on the redesigned park in the spring. Read the entire story...