Huntley veterans memorial on target for summer
A proposed veterans memorial in Huntley is on target for summer completion as donations pour in, a spokeswoman for the group spearheading the project said.
The nonprofit Huntley Area Veterans Foundation has raised more than $43,000 toward the estimated $120,000 cost of purchasing and installing the granite memorial. The group also is expecting a sizable donation from the village, which trustees have been considering during budget discussions.
The 25-foot-long, curved black granite monument will be 6 feet, 6 inches tall and be built in Huntley's Town Square, where the village has donated land for the project. It will be east of the gazebo.
The memorial will include seven connected monuments representing branches of the military and the National Guard, with flags for each service and an American Flag. Two granite benches will be dedicated to prisoners of war and those missing in action, and Purple Heart honorees. There also will be a Gold Star Boys monument for those killed in action.
Peter Troost Monument Co. of Hillside will be doing the granite work.
Fundraising for the project is in full swing online and through community events.
"We've been attending farmers markets and Huntley Fall Fests," said Leigh Ann Porsch, foundation vice president who has two Army veterans in her family.
Group volunteers will seek memorial donations during A Very Merry Huntley celebration, Dec. 4 and 5, organized by the village and the Huntley Area Public Library. It will include crafts, food, and a variety of vendors.
"We will be promoting our project but also selling T-shirts and bricks for the memorial site," Porsch said.
In addition to custom-engraved bricks, patrons also can purchase certificates as holiday gifts, she added.
"We are urging people, if they are thinking about getting a brick, to do it now (by Dec. 31) because prices may go up," Porsch said.
Bricks start at $100 for a standard 4-by-8-inch size including three lines of text. Medium-sized bricks, 8-by-8-inch, cost $500 and allow for more lines of text.
"Popular with the businesses in town is the $1,000 brick because we can do a custom-engraved logo," Porsch said.
So far, the group has secured sponsors for two benches - each $3,500 - recognizing Purple Heart recipients and prisoners of war, and three of seven flagpoles to be erected at the site. Sponsorships for the remaining flagpoles are available for $3,000 each.
Among the project's major donors are the Huntley Senior Citizens Club, which gave $2,500, and the Huntley American Legion and Legion Auxiliary, which jointly donated $10,000.
"We've had some schools that have done fundraisers for us," Porsch said. "In the spring, we will start advertising our next fundraiser."
Donations for the veterans monument project can be sent to the Huntley Area Veterans Foundation, P.O. Box 232, Huntley, IL 60142. For more information or updates on the project, visit huntleyveterans.org.