One of the 10-panel memorial to the fallen men and women from
New York
MONROE – The “Remember Our Fallen” memorial wall created
to remember the more than 300 New York servicemen and women killed while
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan since the 9/11 attacks has been taken
over by Monroe resident Laurene Allen Sandstrom.
The sister of Louis Allen of Chester, who was killed while serving in
Iraq, has dedicated her life’s work to those who serve and those
who sacrifice so when she was asked to take over the memorial, she accepted.
Sandstrom
“People need to be remembered. It can’t be left in a closet
somewhere. It has to be shown. You want people to read the names and walk
through and say, ‘oh, my goodness, I knew him’,” she
said. “I was crying just looking at them. They are babies.”
Sandstrom’s brother is among those whose photo and name appears
on the wall.
“Lou is on the wall so I have a special affinity for it. I intend
to take it to every VFW and American Legion that will have it all throughout
the state,” she said.
Sandstrom, who is president of the American Legion Unit #488 Auxiliary
in Monroe, had asked to display the wall on Gold Star Mothers’ Day
in September, was asked by founders Patriot Productions, to take over
the wall in New York.
