Allen
Veterans Memorial reaches goal
Galesburg alderman says $60,000 raised for display in Lincoln Park
Friday, March 2, 2007
GALESBURG - Wayne Allen said he knew from the first that the community would come through and support plans for the Galesburg Community Veterans Memorial in Lincoln Park. With checks Allen knows are coming in, the $60,000 needed to build the memorial has been raised.Alderman Allen, Ward 6, first mentioned the idea last March. State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, made the official announcement when the members of the 2nd Battalion/123rd Field Artillery/C Battery of the Illinois Army National Guard were welcomed home from Iraq at Bethel Baptist Church.
"I knew from helping with the one in Oneida, when you do something like this, the community will support it," Allen said Thursday.
His wife, Millie Allen, confirmed her husband never voiced a single doubt as to whether the money to build the memorial could be raised. She, however, was a little worried.
"When he came up with this idea, I was like 'we're going to be spending all of our money on this,' " Millie Allen laughed.
"I guess I believed in the community," Wayne Allen said.
"We started out saying we needed $80,000, but because of so much of the construction work being done by volunteers, we've come down to $60,000," Wayne Allen said.
Lacky and Sons Monuments will supply three black granite stones for the memorial. The middle stones will be carved with the words, "This memorial dedicated to all the men and women who serve their country during times of war and peace." There will be an image of a flag draped over that stone. The emblems for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard will be included.
The stone on the left will read, "All gave some," while the one on the right will have the words, "Some gave all."
A circle of memorial bricks will surround the stones and there will be four benches. There will be three flag poles: The U.S. flag in the middle, the state of Illinois flag on the left and the POW/MIA flag on the right.
Even though less money is needed than originally projected, there has been a major change in the plans. On the east side of the memorial, there will be a 14-square-foot podium. On the podium will sit an 8-foot tall bronze eagle overlooking the memorial bricks.
The dedication is planned for Memorial Day.
In July, Roseville residents raised $500 so the state flag pole can be dedicated to Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gary T. Rovinski. He is one of five area servicemen killed in Iraq. Someone anonymously donated $500 earlier last year to reserve the U.S. flag in honor of Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly of Galesburg, who was a member of the Illinois Army National Guard, and Army Pfc. Caleb Lufkin of Knoxville, who also died from injuries suffered in roadside bombings in Iraq.
The entire memorial will be bathed in light at night.
"We're planning the electrical work right now," Wayne Allen said. "The electricians are designing that. Landscaping is being planned by Landscaping Solutions."
Allen said the stones will be set and the bricks put in place in May. He gives the Western Illinois Builders Association a lot of credit. This weekend is the WIBA's annual Home Show at Sandburg Mall. Each year, a custom-built playhouse is raffled off and won by a boy or girl. All of the proceeds from the sale of this year's raffle tickets were given to the veterans memorial effort.
"We're over $8,100 on tickets so far and that's money collected," Allen said. With tickets on sale until Sunday's drawing, Allen expects the total to climb. He said the $8,100 is already the record for the amount of tickets sold. The previous high was when the proceeds went to Knox County Teen Court.
Not only is the WIBA donating the raffle proceeds, but members also are donating all of the labor and equipment to erect the memorial, Allen said.
He said being on the front lines of the effort has been fantastic.
"This has been a great experience for me and Millie," he said.
