Tue Feb 09 2010
By LISA NICELY
ANTWERP -- It is almost time to welcome back a local solider -- one who has stood guard over Antwerp since 1918.
The Veterans Equally recognized for Time Served (VETS) organization will hold a ground-breaking ceremony Aug. 10 for the viewing platform for the All Veterans Memorial at Riverside-Veterans Memorial Park in Antwerp. This is phase II of the memorial project, which when completed will feature the Civil War soldier (which was in place since 1918), a viewing area and granite tablets engraved with the names of all veterans from the Antwerp Local School District area.
"We have all the funds to take care of the viewing platform," said Karen Sanders of VETS. "We have the money for everything except for the tablets. Right now it appears we have seven tablets."
Nancy Lichty of VETS said the All Veterans Memorial project has been progressing well.
"We're hoping for it to be done Memorial Day next year," she said. "We still have a ways to go, put that's our goal right now."
Phase two of the project includes raising funds to construct a platform and lay the foundations for both the monument and name tablets plus site preparations. Cost of this phase is approximately $27,500.
"We have to put the concrete viewing platform in first, then they'll put the base and the soldier in," Lichty said. "The concrete base for tablets will go in at this time, too."
Once the platform is complete, the Civil War solider will return. It is estimated the viewing platform work will take three or four weeks, weather permitting.
Phase one of the project was to repair, clean and restore the Civil War soldier as well as repair the broken granite at the memorial. The project kicked off in January. The phase I cost was $16,000. In January, the soldier on top of the war memorial was taken down for cleaning and repairs by Homier Monuments.
"We'll get the flag, lighting and landscaping all in," said Lichty. "That will all be in phase II."
Along with the viewing platform, a flagpole, sidewalk, entrance walkway, drainage, lighting, electricity and drainage will be done in phase II. After the sidewalk is laid, pavers can be installed. The pavers can honor anyone or a special veteran.
Individuals can still purchase pavers. Blank pavers will be installed later on as well, however, they will have to be engraved with the tablets during phase III.
Paver sizes are 8 by 8 by 2 inches with up to five lines of 14 characters each for $175 (spaces are considered a character). An 8- by 4- by 2-inch paver with three lines of 14 characters is $100.
Because of the nature of the memorial, VETS reserves the right to reject any wording that does not reflect an honorable tribute. To donate to the memorial or purchase a paver write to: Veterans Equally recognized for Time Served, PO Box 742, Antwerp 45813 or contact a VETS member.
Many groups are working with the VETS group to keep the cost of phase II down. These include Kennedy Trenching & Excavating, which has offered to work with Homier's to remove sod from the viewing platform area; Carryall Township trustees, who have offered support for stone fill and an electrical conduit to be installed; Baker-Shindler, which are providing a discount for the concrete for the platform and walkway; and Antwerp village, which has agreed to install a drainage tile at the site. Installing the flagpole and contracted to help with electoral needs is R.J. Scott Electric.
Donations of fill dirt, topsoil, landscaping material and labor would also be appreciated.
Once phase II is complete, organizers hope to have enough funds to begin phase III of the project.
The third phase will be raising funds to purchase the name tablets, which will cost approximately $6,000 each. The cost includes the engraving of each name. The Antwerp Exchange Bank has already donated the cost of one tablet. The tablets will be six feet high, three feet wide and eight inches deep. It is possible names will be engraved on both sides of the tablets.
Several fund-raisers are being planned to raise the remaining costs for phase III. These include a purse and jewelry sale during Antwerp's Day in the Park on Aug. 8, an antique road show and more.
Lichty said despite the poor economic times the community really has gotten behind this project.
"The unemployment in Paulding County is high, but people are giving what they can," she said. "They have been very generous to us."
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