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Welcome to Freedom and Glory: Tales of American Spirit—a podcast celebrating the heart of American craftsmanship, resilience, self-reliance, and the power of disruption. Through inspiring stories and authentic storytelling, we shine a spotlight on individuals and communities who embody these values, proving that small, determined efforts can spark meaningful change.
Join us as we share personal tales of triumph, innovation, and hope—moments that define the American spirit and shape our nation’s identity. Whether you’re seeking motivation to pursue your dreams or a reminder of the power of community, Freedom and Glory offers a powerful dose of inspiration rooted in resilience and determination.
Listen, be inspired, and take action.
003 - Freedom and Glory - Shawn Roser
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[00:00:00] [00:01:00] alright, so thank you for joining us. Sean. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Shawn Roser: Well, uh, both kit and I owned businesses. So we had a very busy lifestyle. I actually, um, have a love and passion for design and decorating. So my business was in interior decor and Kit was a welder, so I actually, I worked with Kit as well and helped him. And then, uh, also running these two businesses. Uh, I love to volunteer in the world of non-for-profit, and I have been volunteering in the world of non-for-profit for 40, 40 years.
Liz: I was gonna ask you, 40 years in non-profit, that's different than the, uh, the for-profit sector. Um, why, why did you gravitate to that and, uh, what were some of the causes you, you took on?
Shawn Roser: Well, my, [00:02:00] the first, uh, non-for-profit was obviously the church that I belong to. Um, and I just, I really enjoy . Giving, you know, my skillset that I have into the world in non-for-profit, you know, if there's, there's a need. And, um, that was the first one. And I just, I really, I, I just, I don't know. I gravitated towards it.
I loved it, and I love fundraising and I love bringing in capital to work and help and assist and aid the non-for-profit. And I, I just, I guess I just enjoy it and I, I, um. And I've just been sticking with it for, for the most part, I've been, I was very dedicated with the church for many, many, many years.
Um, I actually left the church and went to a, a local SPCA. I had al always, it always wanted to, um, be the voice of animals 'cause I love animals. My husband and I have had many of kitty cats over the years [00:03:00] and I was there for eight years. Um, and, and in that aspect, I was actually doing the finances totally different than I had done at the church.
At the church. I was renovating the church buildings. The church actually owned three buildings. We had a parsonage, a parish house, and the church, and they were, you know, they were older. older buildings. Were in a small community and I was actually renovating these, these buildings and putting in roofs and fixing the insides and the bathrooms and painting and putting in sidewalks, um, which is a love and passion of mine.
I, I love. Uh, construction and renovating. And, uh, so it was really different when I went to the SPCA, 'cause everything I did was more of a business aspect. I was working on the, the fi taking care of the finances of the organization. So it was a different, it was different. It was challenging, um, but it was also very rewarding, uh, as well.
Uh, and I left the there after eight years because. My husband Kit was the first vice [00:04:00] commander of the American Legion and the finance officer, and he was very, very, very active and I just, I wanted to, to join him and support him and serve the organization and I think it was fun that we actually got to spend even more time together and we, we just really had a good time when we were working in that, in that part of my fundraising.
Liz: Sean, will you tell us a bit about, um, your husband Kit?
Shawn Roser: Well, kit was a great man and he would do anything for anybody. Uh, he, he joined the Marine Corps. Right outta high school at the age of 17, he served, uh, from 1971 to 1973 during the Vietnam War. After he was discharged, he went back to his skillset, which was welding kit, had learned the trade of welding while he was in high school, and so he went [00:05:00] back to welding, and he actually worked in manufacturing as a welder for probably close to 40 years in three different jobs.
But in the meantime, he also, uh, started his own business and he was building his own business as he was working in the world of manufacturing. And eventually he ended up retiring from manufacturing and went into business all for himself. And he was, um, probably close to 10 years that he was working for himself, uh, before the accident happened.
Um, just to, uh, always was . S smiling, always had a smile on his face. And people, um, just the other day, one of the bicyclists, uh, sent me a note and said that they, they think of him often and then they think of me, but they will, will remember him for his smiles and comradery [00:06:00] and not the night of the accident.
Liz: How did, yeah. How did you and Kit meet?
Shawn Roser: we were neighbors, . We, um, my family, uh, moved in the, into the village, uh, in early eighties. And Kit was my neighbor. And, uh, you know, one day he stopped and said, hi, and, you know, how are you? I'm Kit and I'm your neighbor. And, and, uh, before you know it, we kind of became friends. And then the friendship just
Continued on for 38 years.
Liz: one of the things about veterans. . I mean, I, I have such respect for 'em, but there seems to be this bond between those who serve and the families of those who serve. Uh, how, how was it for you? I mean, you were working for the VFW, obviously you were, you were married to someone who is involved in this service.
What's that like, and how do you generate that, that, that love for veterans when you [00:07:00] are reaching out to the community for help?
Shawn Roser: Well, I, I, um, I did notice that bond and so I actually kind of really focused on working with just Kit. Um. Um, we did work on fundraisers together and there were other veterans there. They were always very appreciative of me being there and very helpful. But you did always, you kind of always felt that bond and you just, you just, I guess you just tried to support 'em, you know, just try to be supportive to them and, and I think they always appreciated being supported and, and recognized, um, that you were willing to help them.
And I, I don't think all veterans have felt that over the years. You know, so they always feel, I think they felt really good that, uh, I was willing to come on board and be supportive to them. And so I really didn't really work with them specifically until after Kit was killed. And then after Kit was killed, I, I, I stayed and I worked with them, and I just didn't feel like I fit it.
I [00:08:00] didn't feel like I fit in. So, um, you know, I'm not a veteran and I, I, so I, I guess I didn't really . Feel that I, I had that special bond that they had. So that's when I chose to leave and, and, and start my own non-for-profit, the Kit Warren Community Fund, uh, and Kit's Legacy. And which then I took the projects that him and I were working on, which were the Gray Marker Project, the Hometown Harold Banner project.
I took them with me so they would continue to be done through his legacy.
Liz: Will you tell us about some of those projects that you, you ? And Kit, and then you, you know, spearheaded for our vets.
Shawn Roser: So Kit and I, um, started a grade marker project and it all started when someone in the community came to Kit and, and said, I have some family members. And they don't have grave markers. And would you find an avenue to purchase some [00:09:00] grave markers? And of course, kit being the loving, caring, giving person that he was, he goes, sure.
And he came home and said, Hey hon, can you find some grave markers, ? So I started researching out grave markers and that's where, um. I had received a catalog, the American Legion had received a catalog from Carrot Top. So I was like, huh, you know, these are really, really good grave markers. They're bronze, they're, they're really good, well-made bra, grave markers, and so let's purchase these.
So we purchased them, and when they came in, the quality of 'em was so great. I, and it just was so inspiring to me, and, and I said to him. , I think we should start a grave marker project. Let's start buying grave markers and putting them on the graves of the veterans. And he, he looked at me and he was like, well, that's gonna cost money, and how do you think you're gonna pay for this?
And I said, well, don't worry about it. I've, I've, I've got an idea. Let's, let's start with a can of bottle drives and we'll go from there. [00:10:00] And so, honestly, this entire project that has been, I'm thinking seven years, um, . That I've been working on, these grave markers has been funded through can of bottle dries and donations.
It's been amazing and
Jim: Wow.
Shawn Roser: it, it's, it's been a huge process. Of course, you know, I, I called Carrot Top. Uh, Stephanie was the first person I worked with, and Stephanie's been working with me all these years on all these projects. I feel like she's a part of our team here in writer and . it, it just was so rewarding when you first started putting them on the graves because, you know, there was a place to put the flag on in it.
You know, you had a place to put the flag. The flags were no longer in the ground. They were no longer in PVC pipe. And so, um, yeah, we have almost 300 veterans buried a Hillcrest Veterans Barrier to Hill Cross Cemetery, and [00:11:00] we're not quite done, but, uh, we're gaining. And, uh, of course we always seem to add a veteran or two every year.
And so we, we always need to have those grave markers in, in stock so we can put the, the grave marker on their grave. So, uh, that was the first project that Kit and I started. And then the second project we started was, uh, we were, uh, on a trip in Pennsylvania. and we were coming home and we went through this town and they had all these banners through town that were honoring our veterans.
And Kit was driving and he got this big smile on his face and he says, oh my gosh, this is so awesome. He says, I would really love to do this at home, back in writer. And I looked at him and I smiled and I said, well, if this is what you wanna do, then this is what we're gonna do. So we came home, we started the process, organizing another project, uh, had to, you know, reach out to the mayor and the town supervisor and, uh, [00:12:00] got permission and then had to get permission to put 'em on the polls.
And, uh, it started in 20, uh, we started in 20, getting it organized. And the first five banners that we put up in 2021 were the five, uh, veterans that were killed in action. and then we were opening up the program for other people to, you know, uh, family members to honor their veteran, uh, by putting, uh, their picture and, and their details on the banners.
Um, and this, this, it's a little sad, you know, uh, the first batch of proofs came in, I think there were like eight of 'em, and Kit had an appointment that day and he came in and I said, hun, the first eight. First batch of, uh, proofs of rn. I need to have you look 'em over and prove 'em. And he, he did and he went back out to work and that was the night he went for his bicycle ride and was struck and killed.
And so Kit never really got to see the other banners being put up. So [00:13:00] I'm really proud to say that even though the first Bachelor in 21 and now we're in 2025, that . We are probably going to be at about 70 banners this spring. So we've, we have gained about 65 banners in the last, uh, four years. It really took off and then, and actually in the, in the meantime, kit and I were renovating the American Legion.
We were literally ripping the bathrooms apart and renovating the bathrooms that the American League and working at the same time. Uh, some of the things we did, we were crazy, but, uh, we loved being together. We loved spending time together. We loved working together. And we were always very proud and everybody in the organization was always so happy and so proud and so pleased that we were doing everything, you know, for our veterans in our community.
Um, the project that Kit and I were talking about before [00:14:00] he was killed was, uh, him and I were up putting flags on the graves before Memorial Day in, uh, may of, uh, 21. And we were up there near the Veterans Memorial area and I was standing there and I'm like looking at the flag and everything and I said, you know, hun, this is looking a little sad, looking a little sad.
It really needs some help. I said, what do you think if we renovated this? And, uh, he kinda looked at me and said, are you serious? And I said, yeah. I said, I would really love to renovate it. Let's change the flag pole out, kind of fix it up a little bit better. You know, there was like a pine tree to the left of the monument.
There was a monument that had been donated about 68 years ago. And, uh, it was a beautiful monument that, uh, Mr. Bryant, uh, donated from his estate and they put up a flagpole. And it had been there for 68 years and the flagpole was really starting to look a little sad and tired and, and, uh, they had caught [00:15:00] one tree down and there was a stump sitting up out of the ground.
And I says, it's just looking sad. It really needs help. And, and Kit, as always, would look at me and say, and how do you think you're gonna pay for this, Sean? Because your projects are always so huge and always cost a lot of money. I said, well, don't worry about the money. I'll figure that part out. And so the sad part was we never got to do that, um, because he was struck and killed about, about a month after that.
But in the following spring of May of 22, um, my friend Kelly is now working with me on putting the flags up on the gras. And we were standing there and I said, oh, it's. I was telling her what we wanted to do and I was kind of sad because I've really had an amazing vision for this project and I didn't think it was gonna come true.
And she being the great friend that she is, looked at me and said, if you wanna do this, I am. I will help you do this. So Kelly and I approached, [00:16:00] uh, the association. And we sat down and, uh, had a meeting with them in July of, uh, 22, and they granted us permission to renovate the, the Veterans Memorial. So it was quite a project.
It was a two year project. We, um, had many people involved and it took many fundraisers to, to, to pull this off.
I was gonna ask you, Sean, because I, I think, you know, it's really inspiring what you've taken on and I think, you know, a lot of people, Maybe see stuff in their community and say, oh, that doesn't look great. But I dunno, it's incredible that you've gone to that next step to do something about it and [00:17:00] really taken things into your own hands.
Liz: I mean, how have these projects been received by the community?
Shawn Roser: Very, very well. Everybody has been very supportive. All these projects, um, we can go back to the grave marker project. Like I said, it was all done by can of bottle drives and people are like dropping off cans and bottles all the time. And you know, even when we're out doing another fundraiser, we, we have a, like a donation jar to the grave markers and people will walk by and go, oh.
Here's some money for the grave marker. Here's, you know, they, they, people have really received the grave markers. They, they appreciate the grave markers because they really have more than one purpose. Obviously. The most important part is that they honor that person on their resting, who is resting, that they were a veteran.
But it also takes the American flag and it, it has a place to put the flag in so the flag isn't falling on the ground or it's not drooping. [00:18:00] And it also helps the cemeteries, caretakers take care of the cemetery better 'cause it's easier for them to mow and trim around. So that really, really took off really well.
Uh, the hometown hero banners. You started putting 'em up and then all of a sudden everybody's all, I wanna do one for my dad. I wanna do for one, for my grandfather, my brother, my son, my uncle. Um, it just, it, it, it just all snowballed. You know? Everybody just kept going and it kept going and going. And I still have people to this day call me and say, I wanna do a H down hero banner for my loved one and for the project at the cemetery.
Um. people really came on board for that. They really did. They came out in many different ways. Uh, we had various fundraisers and it didn't matter what we had. They were there being very supportive. And some people actually just made personal donations as well. So the support that I have been given [00:19:00] has been amazing.
Just amazing.
Liz: What would you say to the folks who, like, you would love to do this? Uh, it's clear you love it, that, uh, you're emotionally tied to this, and I'm sure there's lots of people out there and they, and they just, you know, the first step. How do you get 'em off the couch? What would you say?
Shawn Roser: Well, if you're listening to this podcast and it might inspire you a little bit, um. Take that inspiration and, and, and just go forward, figure it out. You know, if you wanna start a grave marker projects, go to your cemetery association. You know, some cemeteries are, are struggling. I'm sure they would, um, cherish you coming forward and saying, Hey, I wanna come and help you and, and I wanna, you know, fundraise and raise money and put gray markers on our.
Veterans graves because they also appreciated [00:20:00] the fact that their veterans that are buried in their cemetery are being honored. And, um, if you wanna do a hometown hero banner, well, you know, go to your mayor, go to your town supervisor. All you gotta do, you gotta start. You gotta get permission to do the projects.
And once you do that. Um, I've never had anybody say no. And matter of fact, I actually have had four other municipalities come to me after, um, I have done all these projects and have asked advice, you know, how do you go about doing all this? Some are not-for-profits and some are municipalities. And I tell 'em, well, the first thing you, you gotta get permission.
You gotta get permission from the mayor or the town supervisor. Um, and then you gotta get permission to put 'em on the poles. There are electric poles here, so we had to get permission from the electrical company. Um, so it is a job, it is a process, but I can guarantee you that the rewards [00:21:00] will be so rewarding.
So if. You have that inspiration in you at all. Just take it and go forward and, you know, at, at the end of it all, not only is that inspiration going to benefit your veterans, it's also, it's also going to, uh, be a part of your legacy that you will leave and your community as well.
Liz: So true. That is so true. Can you, Sean, can you talk a little bit about the, um, kit Warren Community Fund and kind of, you know, what's the, what's the mission of that, um, organization?
Shawn Roser: Our mission is to, um, to support veterans. We're still very much being very supportive to veterans. Um, which, which is the grave markers and the hometown heroes Banners. We also, um, are being very supportive to some of the other smaller local [00:22:00] non-for-profits. We have a food pantry and a library historical society, and we're trying to be supportive to them as well, and assistant aid them when they need help and.
Of course enhancement. Um, as you can see, I, I love to renovate and decorate. So, uh, we chose to enhance the community as well, and we feel that, you know, the grade markers are enhancement to the cemetery. The banners are an enhancement to our community, and so down the road, we, we really would like to enhance the community or help enhance the community and other avenues as well.
Um, we did our first. Enhancement at Christmas time. And we went in and we did, uh, a lot of Christmas decorating and, and, and some of, we did decorated our town hall and our bank and we did a window display. So this past Christmas we went in and we did some enhancement and everybody was just, oh, we loved it.
You know, they were like, oh, we loved all the Christmas decorating you did for us at [00:23:00] the holiday. So, um, enhancing the community, supporting some of our local non-for-profits. And still being supportive to our, our veterans and, and, and making sure that they're, they're being honored, um, in, in, in many different ways.
Whether it's the project at the cemetery or, uh, a banner or, or a grave marker, because we're really not done with the grave marker project. We still have, there's like six very small cemeteries. They, they have veterans buried in them as well, and we wanna be able to expand to even those really small cemeteries.
Uh, and make sure that all our veterans, no matter what cemetery they're buried in, that they're, that they're honored,
Liz: You make it sound so easy. You know it, you're, you sound like somebody who's not gonna say no or take no for an answer. Um, but honestly, give it, gimme the reality. Now are, is everybody so helpful? Are there challenges that you, . Face [00:24:00] when you go talk to politicians or particularly fundraising to to raise the necessary funds.
Shawn Roser: Well, no, everybody's been, um, for the most part, everybody's been very supportive. You know, I, I, I haven't gotten too many no's. Um, so that has. It's not been a problem. Uh, most people are very inspired that you're wanting to honor veterans. So when you go forward and you ask people, you know, they're like, sure, you know, go ahead.
Oh yeah, go ahead, do this, do that. So I never had any problems with anybody really telling me no. Um, the challenges with fundraisers are sometimes you just, you know, you gotta, you have to do a variety of fundraisers. For a variety of people. So you capture many people. Uh, and of course being here in Central New York, you know, you gotta work around the weather, you gotta work around everybody's busy schedules.
You gotta work around a very, very busy little community. 'cause there's other people raising money as well. So you gotta try to have to figure to how to fit your fundraiser in around everybody else. [00:25:00] And, um, just stay focused and, uh, and keep going.
Liz: As Sean, how can you know? Do people reach out to you and wanna get involved personally, or, you know, how can they do that? Um, how can they connect with you? How can they support you financially?
Shawn Roser: Well, on an occasion, you know, somebody will say, you know, if you ever need help, you know, let me know. Um, and so we have, we, we actually have, believe it or not, real, a good team of people already. We have a fundraising team. We have a team that does some of the fundraisers. We'd have another team that does another fundraiser.
Um, so we are small, but uh, we already have an amazing team of people. And when I worked on the Veterans Memorial Project, everybody that was working with me on that came with me and just kept going on under the . Kit Warren Community Fund. So, um, on an [00:26:00] occasion, I still have somebody say, you know, if you need help with something, you know, let me know.
And believe me, I, I write it down. And when we get to that point, you know, like somebody say, well, I'm a baker, so the next time you do a bake sale, you know, don't be, don't be afraid to call me. So, um, I'll call 'em and say, we're having a bake sale, and they'll, they'll all be there, you know, this is a very, uh, supportive community.
With a big, big heart and they're all there. Um, to support my non-for-profit, um, you know, we're, we're, we're small. We don't have, we're like, we're not on Facebook. We don't have a website. We're, we're kind of still operating in, in old school ways. Um, so, uh, people do make donations, but they have to, to send a check in to the Kit Warren Community Fund in order to do that.
Um, it's not a, I don't have any other avenues of, of, um, . to receiving, uh, donations at this time.
Liz: Well, [00:27:00] I'm inspired. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Raise money. Let's do something. I know. Well, it's been awesome talking to you. I mean, truly you can tell it when you have somebody who is just, uh, in love with what they do. It just goes right through the screen and, um, it does inspire everybody. So thank you so much.
Well, thank you, bill.
SEan, you know, what has it meant to, to. You personally to kind of witness the impact of these projects,
Shawn Roser: It
Liz: and in Kit's legacy.
Shawn Roser: It has been a honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to do . all of these projects and to honor our veterans in so many ways. It's been just rewarding and humbling every step of the way. Um, you can be in, at the bank and somebody will come up to you and, and say, you know, thank you. [00:28:00] Thank you for taking the time and the work to honor my dad, honor my brother.
So appreciative. And I can tell you that I've had many conversations, emotional conversations with people who it really tugs on their hearts. And that's another reason I said, if it is in your heart and it inspires you, take that inspiration and go forward because you will not regret it. 'cause it is so rewarding in so many ways.
Liz: Yeah. Wow. Well, thank you so much, Sean. I, I love how you have . Taken something, you know, your passion of design and, um, I don't know, just carried that forward into this new nonprofit that, you know is on behalf of Kit and others in your community. I don't know, it's just really cool to see how, um, you've taken something that, that you love and made it bigger and, you know, really [00:29:00] grown it.
Um, so thank you. For joining us and, and thank you for what you do for your community.
Shawn Roser: Oh, thank you Liz. Thank you for inviting me to being a part of your Freedom and Glory, uh, podcast. And, uh, you are a remarkable woman and you are. Um. I appreciate your, all your hard work and, and efforts as well.
Liz: Well, thank you. Well, and I know, um, you mentioned Stephanie, she just loves working with you and
Shawn Roser: I love Step. Yeah. I love
Liz: I'm really excited to see what you do next.
Shawn Roser: I love Stephanie as well. I love when she answers the phone and says, Stephanie, it's Sean . I need gray markers. Oh, I need new flags, [00:30:00] [00:31:00] [00:32:00] [00:33:00]