Hutto park path receives Purple Heart designation
HUTTO – During the same month the nation on Memorial Day honors the sacrifices made by the armed forces, the city received a Purple Heart Trail designation, officials said.
Military Order of the Purple Heart representative Jim Bracken recently presented the city with a Purple Heart Trail sign to be placed at the start of Cottonwood Trail in Fritz Park.
“Many highways and states across the U.S. are Purple Heart Trails, registered as such with the national registry,” Bracken said. “About eight years ago we started bestowing the Purple Heart label to things other than roads and highways. Georgetown became the first Purple Heart city in the state.”
Hutto received the same designation last August.
The Purple Heart is awarded by Congress to those wounded or killed in military service.
According to Bracken, Hutto may be the first city in Texas to get a Purple Heart Trail.
The Cottonwood Trail spans about 3.2 miles, beginning at Fritz Park near Hutto Elementary School and linking up with Creekside Park. The entire trail is now a designated Purple Heart Trail.
Fritz Park is at 400 Park Ave.
Members of Hutto Elementary’s fourth and fifth grade Student Council came out to the trailhead for a ceremony May 12, which included a proclamation read by Mayor Mike Snyder and other city officials.
“It’s important that we remember this and celebrate it because it’s for people who died to protect our country and protect us,” said student Josephine B., no last name given.
“No matter who it is or when it happened, that’s a really good (thing) for us,” added student Ellie S., whose last name also was not provided.
Bracken said he hopes when people see the Purple Heart Trail signs, they might consider the sacrifices it takes to preserve the American way of life and freedoms.
Bracken is the finance officer of the Greater Austin Area chapter of the national nonprofit organization authorized in 1932 by Congress.
The local chapter has almost 600 members, consisting solely of men and women who are Purple Heart medal recipients.
“I’m a retired Marine, 23 years as an infantry guy, nine total deployments in my career, the last five of them in combat. And there are a lot of good men I know who have given the ultimate sacrifice,” Bracken said. “So it’s special for me to come out and be a part of these ceremonies.”
The trail could also create a dialogue with young people, he added.
“I get to imagine for the next many years there will be people walking this trail, hopefully kids, and they might ask their parents, ‘What does that mean?’” Bracken said. “And I hope the parents understand and answer that it represents the many people who gave their lives in order for us to walk along this trail.”
