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Politics & Government

Liberty Garden Significant for Many

Paulding's Liberty Garden, dedicated at the county's first Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony in 2002, is visited often.

The Liberty Garden at Mt. Tabor Park reportedly has brought comfort to a lot of Paulding residents and non-local people, and not just annually on Sept. 11 the past decade.

“It is visited daily by individuals from all over the state and country,” says Deidre Holden, now Paulding County supervisor of elections and registration and the driving force behind the garden’s construction.

She says the idea for the memorial “came from Keep America Beautiful soon after the worst day in America’s history.” Holden received the KAB email in her role as Keep Paulding Beautiful executive director in early 2002 and said she knew immediately the memorial would be possible “with the help of the community and business support.”

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Indeed, local support was forthcoming, and the Liberty Garden was dedicated Sept. 11, 2002, with more than 200 people attending the dedication and first memorial ceremony.

“We started out with the monument that captures what happened that day, as well as a granite stand with the quote from President Bush,” says Holden. “The next year we honored our soldiers by adding each of their [service branch] symbols in granite that surrounds the monument.

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“The final addition was the huge granite piece that is inlaid into the ground in the shape of Georgia and the sponsors’ names engraved into the granite. There are also granite sponsor stones behind the flagpole.”

“The memorial was set in place for all branches of service and NYPD/NYFD,” adds Maj. Chad Hunton of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, which now organizes the annual ceremony with the Paulding Fire Department Honor Guard. “Each branch has a plat that is set. It is a sacred place for us.”

“It is truly a place where we can go to remember what happened to our country on 9/11 and how so many lives were changed,” Holden says.

The Liberty Garden has also greatly affected the life of the woman who saw the plan come to fruition.

“I have many touching stories that have been shared with me over the years, but the most precious story is how this memorial brought someone into my life that is now one of my dearest friends,” Holden relates. “While working late at the Liberty Garden on Sept. 19, 2004, I was sweaty, tired and nervous, wanting everything to be perfect for the ceremony the next day, when I was approached by a man with a huge dog.

“He proceeded to ask me if I knew who was in charge of this memorial. Thinking this was someone who wanted to complain about the way our tax dollars were being spent—and I would like to say this memorial was built by volunteers and donations—I boldly said ‘I am!’

“With tears in his eyes, he hugged me and said ‘Thank you!’ He shared with me that since 9/11 both of his sons had enlisted and were serving in Iraq. He told me that the Liberty Garden was where he came to reflect and pray for his boys that were in the heat of battle.

“To say the least,” Holden said, “I was speechless. This was the day when my dear friend Tommy Leonard entered my life. When Tommy walked away, I walked over to my husband and children, sobbing, and told them what just happened. I told them this was why I do what I do—for those who have been affected by 9/11.

“This project is so very dear to my heart and forever will be,” she says. “It is something that I hope that my children and future grandchildren will visit in years to come and know that I tried to make a difference in our community, as well as understand the importance of being involved in remembering and honoring others.”

In an ironic twist, shortly thereafter Holden transferred to her current county role as elections supervisor, and Leonard was hired to be Paulding’s recycling coordinator, also becoming executive director of Keep Paulding Beautiful. He continues serving in both roles today.

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