Information needed for veterans
If you have information on the following veterans during the Vietnam era and would like to have this information included in the Veteran’s Park scheduled to be built in Clay County this year, please contact Betty Bradley at: bbradley@claync.us or at 828-389-0089.
No picture available
• E-7 Howard C. Garrett U.S. Army
Entered: 1950 Discharged: 1974 Vietnam (1970-1971)
• E-5 John Stephen Hindsman U.S. Navy
Entered: 1966
Discharged: 1969
• Danny Logan U.S. Army Vietnam
No picture or information available
Gary Barnard , Kenny Blankenship, Randal Garrett, Cecil Hogsed, Sammy Hogsed, Tom Landis, Larry 0. Ledford Mathew Ledford, Leon Parker, Paul Patton, Jerry Payne, Kirk Payne, Russell Roach, David R. Underdown, James R. Walker, Tommy Williams.
By Becky Long
Publisher
Clay County is expanding its role in honoring our veterans past and present when a new Veterans Memorial Park becomes reality later this year.
At an estimated completion costs of $1.2 million, the Veterans Memorial Park is an extraordinary project that will be built on 1.45 acres of county-owned property beside the VFW ballfields on Myers Chapel Road.
The preliminary draft includes recognition of POW/MIA, Gold Star Families, all branches of service and the different wars America has participated in. It will provide an area where Memorial Day, Veterans Day and 911 services can be held and a place residents can visit anytime.
The Memorial Park is a joint project among the George Lee American Legion Post 532, Allison Bristol VFW Post 6812 and Clay County government.
While the project is spearheaded by local veterans groups and the county, it is intended to recognize all veterans’ contributions — a goal that is near and dear to coordinator Betty Bradley’s heart.
“In Clay County there are approximately 1,000 veterans and we want to honor all of them if possible,” said Bradley who is also clerk to the commission board, Human Resources director and a charter member of VFW Post 6812.
Bradley was appointed by the county to coordinate efforts to make the park a reality and it’s on a fast pace with a goal of breaking ground on the first of three phases in April. The targeted completion for that phase is Veterans Day in November.
“It’s the most important project I’ve ever worked on,” said Bradley. “It’s important to our heritage.”
The park’s goals are two-fold. In addition to honoring veterans, it will serve as an educational tool.
“The Veterans Park will honor veterans while also serving as an education opportunity for the community and our schools via its design,” said Commission Chairman Rob Peck. “We continue to seek donations and grants for the public-private partnership.”
The public will have opportunities to participate in the Memorial Park project and to honor veterans in their own families through a personalized brick or paver to be placed on-site. The bricks are $19. 50 and are being sold at cost, according to Bradley who added, “This is not a fundraiser.”
To order a personalized brick, you will need fill out a form and include rank and name of veteran; branch of service and year dates of service; and war participated in, if any.
Bradley reminds everyone that there is limited space on these bricks: there are only three lines with 15 characters on each line - spaces count as a character.
Applications to purchase bricks can be picked up at the Register of Deeds, Moss Memorial Library, Clay County Progress or Clay County Administrative Office (lower level of the health department). Earmark your check for a “paver,” personalized brick. Shipping is free.
While the paver recognition project is not a fundraiser, the Veterans Memorial Park will rely heavily on donations. There may be grant opportunities, but these may require large matches. The committee is sending requests for donations to numerous corporations and invites support from the community at large.
“Every dollar goes directly to the project, there are no administrative costs involved and there’s no tax dollars involved in this project,” noted Peck.
The Veterans Memorial Park is being established to honor past and present veterans who reside in Clay County and have served honorable in the armed forces, according to Bradley.
“There’s no reason we can’t have a veterans park,” said Bradley. “Many veterans from Clay County fought and died for our freedom and it is time to recognize them and all veterans.”