I want to ask our community to stand with the Belanger family.

Staff Sgt. Gregory Allen Belanger gave his life serving our country. For more than 20 years, his memorial plaque stood beneath the athletic scoreboard at Frontier Regional School — a place where students, families and visitors could see his name and remember his sacrifice.

The family has asked for something very simple: move that existing plaque to the new scoreboard.

On June 11, the School Committee heard a personal and heartfelt plea from Greg’s mother, a Gold Star Mother. They then voted not to move the plaque.

That decision has been difficult for many of us to understand.

Since then, we have heard about policies, alternative memorials and moving Greg’s plaque inside the school. But this isn’t simply about whether Greg will be remembered.

It is about who gets to decide where his community is allowed to remember him.

At every VFW meeting, our members recite the purpose of our organization. One of our commitments is “to perpetuate the memory and history of our dead.”

For us, those aren’t just words. They are a promise.

Greg is one of our fallen.

The Massachusetts VFW Department Commander, Craig DeOld, has called for Greg’s memorial to be moved and rededicated. The family’s request remains simple: move the existing plaque. We support both.

We appreciate that school administrators have reached out to the family and our Post. But at some point, conversation has to become action.

And this is where we need you.

We have been told that a special School Committee meeting is being planned for Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Frontier Regional High School Library. As of today, however, the Committee has not provided formal public notice or an official agenda.

We sincerely hope that is simply a delay — not an effort to give the community as little time as possible to organize and be heard.

Either way, we are going to be there.

And we are asking you to join us.

If you are a veteran, a Gold Star family member, a Frontier alumnus, a classmate or teammate of Greg’s, a parent, a student, a teacher, or simply someone who believes that a fallen member of this community deserves to be remembered — stand with the Belanger family.

Come to the meeting.

Come respectfully. Come peacefully. But come and let the people who were elected to represent this community hear directly from the community.

Tell them openly and publicly what you believe:

Greg Belanger’s memorial belongs where his community can see it.

The School Committee may decide where they want his plaque.

They should not get to decide where we remember him.

Greg gave his life.

The least we can do is make sure his community has a voice in how he is remembered.

Sept. 1, 6 p.m. at Frontier Regional High School Library.

Once the meeting is officially posted, we will share the details on the Hale-Clapp Post 3295 Facebook Page and with as many community members as we can.

Please stand with Greg’s family. We hope to see you there.

Rachael Otto is commander, Hale-Clapp VFW Post 3295 in South Deerfield.