Litchfield

Yellow Ribbons on Litchfield's Historic Green Slated for Removal

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When you drive by the Litchfield Green you might notice the five yellow ribbons tied around trees.

They represent branches of the military and are meant to honor service members.

“It’s letting the guys know and the girls know that we’re behind you,” said Val Caron of Bantam.

And they mean a lot to military families including the Carons.

“I thank God every time I pass them saying thank you for keep our son safe,” said Leslie Caron.

They’re proud parents of their son Mark who is serving in the Air Force.

And they still can’t believe the ribbons which they’ve take care of for nearly two decades are slated to come down for good January 2.

“It just hurts, really hurts,” said Leslie Caron.

“We were going, ‘wow.’ Why would you do this?” said Val Caron.

The decision was not made by the town but instead a board overseeing the Borough of Litchfield.

“The removal of the ribbons is in no way intended as either disrespect for the military or their families,” said Gale Carr, Borough of Litchfield Board senior burgess.

Carr says while the vote was in September they’re allowing the ribbons to stay until after the holidays out of respect for the military families.

Carr – who is the daughter of a vet - tells us the board’s job is to protect the Green and it was time to enforce a rule which prohibits any signs on this National Historic Landmark.

“That ordinance had an exception made to during a period of wartime and we’re no longer at war,” said Carr.

Carr says they don’t want to discriminate who can post on the Green and who can’t, especially since others have expressed interest in putting up their own ribbons.

And she points out the Green does feature the American flag as well as monuments honoring service members including the Carons’ son.

But his parents aren’t buying the reasons for why the ribbons must go, including to remind people that Americans are still being deployed.

“We will fight for these ribbons. Absolutely we will fight of them. We did it once before and we can do it again,” said Leslie Caron.

Originally dozens of these ribbons went up back in 2003, each to honor a military family in town.

And in 2010 there was a compromise to have five.

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