HATFIELD — Officials are set to recognize residents who have received Purple Hearts, with the Select Board this week adopting a proclamation making Hatfield a Purple Heart Town.

The board Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt a proclamation that encourages residents “to show their appreciation for the sacrifices of Purple Heart recipients.”

Board member Ed Jaworski read the proclamation into the record prior to the vote.

“The town of Hatfield has profound gratitude for all the men and women who have selflessly served their country as members of the United States Armed Forces,” Jaworksi said. The proclamation also calls attention to those wounded or killed in combat and honors their bravery in protecting American freedoms.

Jaworski told his colleagues that the idea of making Hatfield a Purple Heart town came from resident John Pease at a meeting of the Sons of the American Legion.

“Over the years, since I’ve been a kid, this town has always had Memorial Day activities and has always honored its veterans, and I think it’s a good thing to do,” Jaworski said.

Select Board Chairwoman Diana Szynal thanked Jaworski and Pease for bringing forward the proclamation. Szynal suggested that signs will be placed at the entrances to Hatfield to let the public know about the designation.

With the proclamation, the town will now be able to honor its Purple Heart recipients, both those living and those who have died.

Any Hatfield resident who is a Purple Heart recipient, or is aware of who have been honored, should contact Town Administrator Andrew Levine at 413-247-9200n ext. 7, or alevine@townofhatfield.org, or Executive Assistant Karen Brodeur, at 413-247-9200n ext. 6, or execassistant@townofhatfield.org.

Last August, Hadley became a Purple Heart community and several other communities in Hampshire County also have the designation, including Northampton, which received it in 2013, along with South Hadley, Granby, Williamsburg, Chesterfield, Worthington and Ware. In addition, a section of Route 202 in Holyoke, from the Westfield line to the South Hadley line, is a Purple Heart Trail, and the first Purple Heart recipient is buried in Middlefield.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.