By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County officials want local veterans to have a memorial site worthy of their service. So on Wednesday, the county commissioners unveiled plans for an expanded veterans memorial area on the grounds of the Wood County Courthouse.
The memorial area comes with an estimated price tag of $300,000.
“We are confident this will receive broad support across Wood County,” from residents and businesses, said Commissioner Doris Herringshaw.
The memorial plans were presented at the end of a service honoring Wood County native Edwin Byers, who received the Medal of Honor in 2016 for his role in rescuing a hostage in Afghanistan.
Byers and several of his family members from the Grand Rapids area attended the program.
“This is a day Wood County is going to remember for many, many years,” Commissioner Ted Bowlus said to Byers. “Mere words are totally inadequate.”
Bowlus thanked Byers for his heroic service and for making time to attend the local program on Wednesday.
Then Bowlus talked about the site where the service was held, in the front lawn of the county courthouse. The first memorial to be placed on the grounds in 1950 was a monument for local servicemen lost in World War I and World War II, on behalf of Gold Star mothers.
More monuments followed – for those serving in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the local Civil War soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for their role with Andrew’s Raiders.
Then in 2000, a plan was introduced to renovate the veterans memorial site to make it more easily accessible to veterans, and a place suitable for programs, Commissioner Craig LaHote said.
“Time and weather have taken their toll on the site,” he said.
The new expanded memorial area will also add monuments dedicated to Persian Gulf veterans, Civil War veterans, and Gold Star families who lost loved ones to war, LaHote said.
Present at the service on Wednesday were the parents of Lt. Col. Thomas Belkofer, a local service member killed in Afghanistan.
Following are the steps planned for work on the veterans memorial area:
Removal phase: All current monuments and shrubbery will be removed.
Site improvement phase will include:
- Stamped concrete throughout the memorial area.
- Underground utilities for illumination and power.
- Wrought iron fence to separate and designate the area.
- Complete wheelchair accessibility.
- Engraved bench seating.
- Numerous planters to accentuate the site.
- Specially poured bases to support the monuments.
Rebuilding phase will include:
- Current monuments including those for Vietnam, Korean and Medal of Honor veterans will have been cleaned, polished and repaired prior to returning to the site.
- New World War I/World War II monument will be brought in. It will be nearly a replica of current monument, only single piece granite with updated etched names.
- New monuments honoring the Civil War, Persian Gulf/Afghanistan, as well as Gold Star families will be added.
- All plantings and landscaping will be completed.
Anyone wanting to donate to the memorial may send money to Bowling Green Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1175, Bowling Green, OH 43402, designated for Memorial for Wood County Veterans.
At the close of the service on Wednesday, representatives of Bowling Green American Legion Post 45 and the Post Auxiliary presented donations of $1,000 each to kickoff the fundraising for the memorial area.
