Letter from Joanie Parrillo
Second Book for ‘Unsung Heroes’
Volume two of “Cooperstown, NY: Home of the Unsung Heroes,” is filling up nicely. This will be your last chance to be part of Cooperstown’s history, and what a year to be a part of it, marking the 250th birthday of our country. Marking another powerful milestone in this ongoing effort to honor every veteran in the surrounding area. Families have continued to come forward with stories, photos, and memories, helping ensure that no service member is forgotten, and we will keep accepting them for a while longer.
During the submission process for volume two, something unexpected and deeply meaningful happened: Many families sent in handwritten letters from their veterans—personal notes, wartime reflections, and messages preserved across generations. These letters carried a voice and emotions that stood apart from the traditional submissions.
Because of the overwhelming number of these handwritten letters that I read, I made the decision to create one final volume in the set—a third book dedicated entirely to veterans’ letters. This final book will stand on its own as a tribute to the words, thoughts, and lived experiences of the men and women who served.
After receiving 15 amazing, heartfelt letters from a Civil War soldier—and reading them from his first day to his last—I felt the need to do this final book just with letters, as it touched me in feelings I have never had reading a letter.
We will never truly realize what each and every one of our veterans went through. With permission of the owner of the letters, the third book will begin with this Civil War veteran’s story, told entirely in his own words—just as he wrote them, with the help of historian Sherlee Rathbone in deciphering some of the words I transcribed. The book will include a photo of the original letter, the home this veteran grew up in and the place where his memorial stands in the family plot. From there, I will add any letters anyone wishes to submit.
With volume two filling up and the letters volume now planned, the Cooperstown veterans’ book project continues its mission with the same heart and purpose from that the very first page to the last: to honor every veteran, preserve every story, and keep their legacies alive for generations to come.
There are still a few copies of volume one of “Cooperstown, NY: Home of the Unsung Heroes” available, which are available to purchase through me. Anyone wishing to submit letters for the third book can contact me at Joanie Parrillo, PO Box 493, Cooperstown NY 13326 or (607) 287-0877.
Joanie Parrillo
Toddsville
