In May of 2013, the Alexis Citizens for Veterans Memorial Committee started forming plans for a veterans monument. The committee shared the fruits of their labor yesterday with a crowd of well over 200 people.
At the corner of Holloway Street and Hunt Avenue, a series of six granite slabs crafted by Lacky Monument now honor the United States National Guard, Coast Guard, Marine Corp, Air Force, Army and Navy. Standing taller than the rest, another stone recognizes all U.S. veterans, “past, present and future.”
Veterans Memorial Committee member Trent McKeown said funding the roughly $60,000 monument started by selling bricks.
“Contrary to our original idea that this memorial would be paid for through the purchases of veterans and sponsor bricks,” he said, “this memorial has been largely funded by personal cash donations and proceeds from the John Wayne Memorial Ride.”
Rep. Don Moffitt delivered remarks after the unveiling. Moffitt said the people of Alexis put their words in stone promising to remember those who served.
“For that I say, congratulations,” he said. “This is beautiful, it’s respectful, it’s powerful”
The monument’s groundbreaking was on Veterans Day last November in an event attended by Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. A member of her office spoke at yesterday’s unveiling.
