The Cherry County Veterans Memorial Committee (CCVMC) held their monthly meeting last Friday at the Veterans Service Office. Present were committee members Donald Nelsen, John Ravenscroft, Jim Edwards, Bob Stetter, Dick Jeffers and Bill Marshall. Excused was member Larry Johnson. Also attending the meeting was Kerry Hoffman from Hoffman Monuments.
The committee decided to go with two memorials, one for Korea Era Veterans – dates are January 1,1947 through January 27, 1961: and one for Vietnam Era Veterans with dates of January 28, 1961 through May 7, 1975. These two memorials will each be 16 feet long, with names of all known veterans as of the cutoff date of March 1, 2020. The cutoff date enables the completion of the monument for dedication on July 4, 2020. At this time over 900 names of local or area veterans have been received who served in these wartime eras.
The committee set a budget of 90,000 dollars for these two memorials plus concrete work and various expenses as added lighting, flag placements and other expenses. The CCVMC realizes this is a lot of money to be raised in a short time, but feel it is a benefit to our county and to our area citizens. Two grants have been applied for and plans are to apply for more. Donations of over $8000.00 have already been made without asking. Thermometers with amount of funds raised will be placed at Veterans Memorial Park and in the window of the Valentine Veterans Club.
For those wishing to donate please check with your accountant, although we have been told this is a qualified tax deduction. Make checks out to American Legion Post 90 CCVMC, P.O Box 33, Valentine Nebraska 69201 or contact Bob Stetter at 402-376-2331.
The memorials, along with the World War 2 will be angled out so you can see them with all the names from the sidewalk. The Doughboy Statue for our World War I Veterans will remain where it is as we are following our WWI Veterans. We would like to thank you in advance as we as a committee feel this must be done as most of our Korean War Veterans are gone and over 50% of our Vietnam Veterans are gone from the effects of cancer-causing Agent Orange and other deadly sprays.
Please help us with this memorial project.
Donald E. Nelsen; Chairman CCVMC
Bob Stetter. Treasurer CCVMC