"Combat Wounded Veterans"
Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter #1
Loretta Krichard Honored For Her Patriotism

Honored: John Doherty of the Military Order of the Purple Heart awards Loretta Kichard of Shelton a citation for patriotism. The ceremony was at the Veterans' Memorial Building in Derby.
From The the Connecticut Post, Nov. 2003

"I BELIEVE IN THE FLAG AND KEEP IT FLYING"

By KATE RAMUNNI Correspondent

Vets honor woman for defying condo ban on flags

Loretta Kichard's refusal to conform to her condominium association's edict that American flags can't be flown on a daily basis earned her kudos from a military organization Saturday in Derby The Military Order of the Purple Heart honored Kichard for her patriotic protest that led the association to back down from demanding flags be flown only on certain days.

"I just believe in the flag and I'll keep it flying even though they wanted to fine me," Kichard said after she was presented with a flag, a mug and a yellow ribbon with an honorary Purple Heart - the award given to those wounded in combat.

The Sunwood Condominium Association in Shelton tried to stop residents from flying the flag outside their units last September, when many put out the flag to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

A letter from the association spelling out the regulations - that the flag could only be flown on days like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day - led some to take in their flags. Kichard, whose late husband, Andrew, and son Andrew Jr. are both Purple Heart recipients, refused to take in her flag. "That is just the way I am," Kichard said. "I wasn't going to take it in for anything."

Media pressure led the association to back down from the order, and Kichard's flag still flies outside her home.

I"it is a shame she had to defy [the condo association] to keep her flag flying when you can rip and destroy a flag and no one will say a word," chapter commander John J. Doherty said, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to ban flag burning. "Every war has been fought for that flag." Many would do well to learn from Kichard's example, Doherty said. "I think today we have to start to educate people to what that flag means," he said. "Loretta has started that, and we need more like her."

Kichard also was recognized for the 4,000 hours she has volunteered at the Veterans Hospital in West Haven. She started volunteering after her son Andrew Jr. returned from Vietnam wounded, but alive. "I said if God brings my son back from Vietnam, I would become a volunteer," Kichard said.

"There is a lot of talk about veterans being proud of their country," Doherty said. "Well, civilians are also proud and do a lot for our country"

In addition to Kichard, the chapter also honored Meg Barone, the former executive director of the Valley Arts Council and a Connecticut Post correspondent, for a concert she orchestrated last fall in honor of the Purple Heart's 70th anniversary "I am grateful for this award, but it is the rest of us who should be thanking you," she told the chapter members. "I just can't thank you enough."