In 1947, citizens of Locust Valley made history by adopting the French town of Ste. Mere Eglise as a sister city. On Feb. 14 you are invited to join the community of Locust Valley at a bronze plaque dedication for Operation Democracy, honoring the hamlet for its contribution to post-WWII reconstruction.

The event takes place on Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. at the entrance to Thomas Park Walkway (between Daniel Gale and Austin International on Forest Avenue). The day includes the final filming for the documentary Mother of Normandy.

The documentary was what ignited the vision for creating the bronze plaque and related events for Locust Valley Chamber of Commerce Co-president Kaye Weninger of J. McLaughlin's. She said following the dedication, a reception and film clip will follow at the Dolan Theater at Friends Academy at 5 p.m. Documentary maker Doug Stepelton will give a talk on his work and a representative of the Roosevelt family will attend. "Either Theodore Roosevelt IV or Liz Roosevelt will be there," said Ms. Weninger.

In 1947, under the leadership of Mrs. Martha Ferguson Breasted, and inspired by Lt. Col. Augustin S. Hart Jr., a member of the 82nd Airborne, citizens of Locust Valley formed Operation Democracy to supplement the Marshall Plan in its efforts to restore European communities recovering from WW II. By adopting a sister town in France, Operation Democracy's founders sought to provide aid with a human touch to Ste. Mere Eglise, the first town to be liberated by the 82nd Airborne in the Normandy Invasion; and the initial burial site of 15,000 American soldiers, including Oyster Bay's Brig Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

After the war, Mme. Simone Renaud, wife of the town's mayor, expressed her eternal gratitude for the post-war generosity of the people of Locust Valley in this poem. Her appreciation for the heroes, the soldiers whose graves she lovingly tended, and whose families she comforted with letters over a 40-year period, never dimmed, and she was determined to teach future generations that "freedom is never free." Following Locust Valley's lead, 200 other American towns adopted communities in France.

(Verse translation by Hoffman Nickerson)

Be bless'd indeed, dear valley overseas

Whose Locust shade, entwining with our oaks

Our beeches, birches and our apple trees,

One single love and gratitude evokes.

Our children and our grown-ups owe to you

Clothing, affection, yes and sweet surprise

From you our gifts come and from heaven too,

Sainte-Mere-Eglise gives thanks with tear-dimmed eyes.

Never can we forget your kindly aid

Our children raise their hands for you in prayer

The more because our sons with you are laid

In Norman earth together sleeping there.

Oh may the flowers we lay upon their graves

Distill their perfume on your distant air

And may the love and tenderness which saves

Be yours forever. In your gardens fair,

Remember you are dear to us who groaned

Beneath the yoke, until your heroes came

And here in France so gloriously atoned

For all our ruins with their deathless fame.

Our Holy Mother has them in her care

Who gave their blood and foremost fighting fell

Dear Locust Valley, you who know so well.

That happiness is earth's best treasure-trove

Oh, may the knowledge of our joy restored

And may the gold reflected in your love

And all our gratitude be your reward.

The entire poem will be on the plaque, said Ms. Weninger. "This is a piece of history that had been buried. This is our piece of history and we should be proud of it. What they did was a great thing. We are honoring Locust Valley and Madam Renaud because she became so well known around the United States.

"One of the documentary people, Doug Stepelton, came to Locust Valley to visit a friend and told her about a film he was doing on Normandy and the British soldiers. When he returned there, he met Maurice Renaud and talked about being in Locust Valley. Mr. Renaud said he loved Locust Valley and that we were their Santa Claus during the war. He was amazed they met. Maurice so was excited to meet someone who came from Locust Valley."

She said, "Since Operation Democracy started here, I went to the Locust Valley Historical Society to find out about it. We uncovered this whole history in a shoebox. Everyone knew about it. The material was put out at the Locust Valley Library when the French were here for our celebration of the 50th anniversary of Normandy. The village was decorated with red and gold banners and there were many events held surrounding the event.

Mr. Stepelton is filming the story for the History Channel so Locust Valley will be part of the film. You can read about it at ww.motherofnormandy.com. It tells the story of Madame Renaud and her picture that was in Life magazine. She was shown tending the graves of the 15,000 American soldiers buried there. Mothers would write her and ask her to send them some soil from the graves. She spent years tending the graves. That is why the documentary was done about her.

"We stepped in here in the story. We are doing our event on Valentine's Day for two remarkable women in two countries that are entangled. Martha Ferguson Breasted and Simone Renaud, the mayor's wife.

"We are trying to rekindle the tie between the two cities and are talking to the headmasters of the schools to join again," she said.