The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, in Washington, D.C., honors the 58,272 individuals who died in the Vietnam War or who remain missing. The 9/11 Memorial, located at the former site of the World Trade Center complex in New York City, serves as a remembrance of the 2,977 people killed on Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, near Shanksville, Penn., and the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the Feb. 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
In Cornwall, the Cornwall Strong Initiative aims to recognize and give thanks to the local essential workers serving on the front lines to help treat patients with COVID-19.
As of earlier this week, 35 names appear on the front window of the Shops at 277 Main. The names were submitted, to Carley Nielsen, of the Carley Nielsen Art Gallery, through e-mail and Facebook, and include each individual’s title such as registered nurse, police department, Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps., etc.
“At the Carley Nielsen Art Gallery we like to paint our windows to reflect the time of year and holidays that are coming up,” Nielsen said. “I had just taken down our last window painting when we decided we wanted to highlight our essential workers. With all the uncertainty of this pandemic, we thought it would be best to thank those who go out everyday to help and support all of us. Focusing on the actual people who are on the frontlines, learning their names and positions, makes you that much more appreciative of their work.”
The names of local Cornwall residents, as well as anyone else who is an essential worker, have been written on decorative paper with their position underneath. Those who would like to recognize an essential worker may submit their name to Carley Nielsen Art, on Facebook, or e-mail carley.nielsen@aol.com.
“The response to our Cornwall Strong Initiative has been so wonderful,” Nielsen said. “It really warms my heart to see how much this has touched people. I had the daughter of a nurse message me about how much this meant to her and she wanted to surprise her mother with it. Her mother absolutely loved it and thought it was an incredibly sweet idea. It can be hard to feel helpful in these trying times but even the smallest action can have an effect. That’s why we started the Cornwall Strong Initiative, to give back to those who give everything.”
