Veterans dedicate first phase of Bartlett memorial
The first phase of a veterans memorial dedicated Saturday in Bartlett aims to make visitors acutely aware of two ideas: “Freedom isn't free,” and “All gave some; some gave all.”
Bartlett-area veterans and elected officials discussed those words Saturday morning as they dedicated the first section of the memorial at the corner of Stearns Road and South Bartlett Road before a crowd of about 500.
“This really is just the beginning of a memorial park that was planned and designed to be something unique and different,” said John Seger, who serves as president of the Bartlett Veterans Memorial Foundation.
The $180,000 first phase of the memorial includes a sculpture of a soldier mourning a fallen comrade, four memorial benches, a walkway with bricks engraved for donors, an American flag and one flag for each branch of the military.
Seger said future phases will include 11 parking spots with two dedicated to handicapped veterans and others with disabilities, a memorial-style dome with lighting to heighten the focus on the statue and eight granite monuments.
He thanked everyone who has donated to the project so far, through wine tastings, black tie events and other fundraisers hosted by the Bartlett Veterans Memorial Foundation since its establishment in 2006.
Other speakers called for more donations to fund the entire project's $2 million estimated cost.
“We are here this morning one step closer to our veterans memorial, a tribute to our local heroes — our veterans,” Bartlett Village President Michael Airdo said.
Airdo encouraged those in the crowd not to see the memorial as just a nice, decorative stone, but as a call to continue honoring veterans in tangible ways.
“Let us be awakened to do much, much more,” he said.
Getting the first phase of the memorial built has required cooperation between the private citizens who raised money for it; the village, which bought the land; and Hanover Township, which provided support along the way, Township Supervisor Brian McGuire said.
He praised leaders of the Veterans Memorial Foundation, like Seger and Vice President Ed Lacey, for leading a citizen-driven initiative to memorialize the nation's citizen-soldiers.
“Doesn't it make sense that the thank you to those who served comes from the citizens they served?” McGuire said. “We must turn our praise into action in order to finish what we've started here today.”