By PETER GREER

greer@crescent-news.com

ANTWERP -- There's one thing Antwerp's VETS wants everyone to know about its project to have a new monument to war veterans installed at the local park.

"It's for the living as well as the deceased," says Karen Sanders, one of five core members of VETS (Veterans Equally recognized for Time Served) who, along with many other volunteers and fund-raisers, are working to bring to town a new monument which, ideally, will honor every local military veteran from the Revolutionary War to the present.

The other four core VETS members include Sanders' fellow Antwerp residents Nancy Leichty and Mary Pierce, Lori Manon of Sherwood and Judy Steele of Cecil.

The idea to bring such a project to town came about when Sanders was visiting a cousin in Hillsboro, Ill. last November. "He took me to this memorial (in Hillsboro)," she says, "and pointed out his name on a tablet (honoring Vietnam veterans). I thought, 'there's no reason our town can't do this.'"

Since the formation of VETS shortly thereafter, the group has been involved in various projects to raise money for the monument. Additionally, members have been searching cemetery records and genealogy books to find names of local veterans to add to the project, and working with Homier Monuments, Defiance, in deciding what shape the structure will take.

Its focal point will likely be the town's Civil War monument, which has existed for 90 years. "The statue was dedicated around 1918," says Sanders. "Civil War (vets) are very prominent here; we've found 300 names already."

Even without the planned additions, VETS believes the Civil War statue at the park is in need of rehabilitation. "(Its) foundation has deteriorated (and) must be replaced," she declares. "And the statue hasn't been cleaned or taken care of."

But it's not enough to simply repair the foundation and restore the statue to its former glory. "The statue is (now) at the center of the park," she says. "It's 150 feet in from the (park's) back driveway. There's no walking path leading up to it, and there's one little streetlight on it at night; no real illumination."

The VETS plans to rectify this situation by asking permission of the Antwerp Village Council to move the statue into an open area in the southwest corner of the park, permitting greater public accessibility, after which the new monument can be built around it.

Plans are to have the new monument take the form of stone tablets listing the names of veterans; the tablets will be black with a gray base (alternating with the Civil War statue, which is gray with black accents).

The new complex will list the names of every veteran VETS can find -- living or deceased -- who live or have resided in the Antwerp school district. "We have 500 names so far," says Sanders. "We'll take any (names) we can find."

In addition to the major wars fought by Americans, VETS plans to honor anyone who took part in a period of history which may have fallen through the cracks. "We've found (names of) veterans of the Spanish-American War," she says, "but none from the War of 1812."

While everyone up to the newest war vet can have their names listed (unless, for whatever reason, they do not want to be a part of the monument), no one on active duty will be listed until they are done. This is to prevent the addition of those with dishonorable discharges.

The project will also be forever unfinished as more people join the military and return home in the future. New names, Sanders says, will be added yearly.

Also, she adds, all will be honored equally whether having served in the military for two weeks or 20 years. "Just names will be listed," she says. "No rank, no medal achievement."

There will, however, be special notification of certain veterans. "(They) will be honored on their own tablet for those who paid the ultimate price," she adds.

While much of the project is still being worked on, VETS remains confident the monument will be erected some time next year. "The reception has been overwhelming," says Sanders, who notes receiving support from council, the Paulding County Commissioners, the Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion and Antwerp Community Development.

Restoration of the Civil War statue will cost under $1,600, she says, with the new monument costing $6,025 per tablet. Each tablet will contain 270 veterans' names.

VETS is continuing fundraising projects for the monument, with a concert in May being its next scheduled event. While individual donations are also welcome, they will not be taken for any specific name to be added to a tablet.

"We will accept donations, but (veterans) can't buy their way in," she says. "They've already paid for time served."

Above all, the group wants to make the new monument as complete as possible. "We need vet support for that," she urges. "Stand beside us."