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As many of you have read in the paper the long-awaited Veterans Memorial is up in Porter County. With a lot of last minute help from TRADE UNIONS and local companies like, R.V. Sutton and NIPSCO, we were able to dedicate or unveil the Memorial on Veterans Day, November 11th.
The Memorial is located at Porter Avenue and the Rt. 49 bypass in Chesterton, right behind the PMH Ambulance building. If you haven't been out there, please stop by, it is worth the trip.
I need to apologize to some of the payroll deduction people in the mill. Apparently you received your invitation, but didn't get your tickets . . . sorry about that. Things were kind of hectic the last three weeks before the dedication, so I'm sure we made some mistakes.
While we're on the subject of payroll deduction, the one most frequent asked question is, "Do I need to keep giving?" The answer is . . . it would be appreciated. Although we have enough money to do the walkway, lighting, and finish off the parking lot, we will still have monthly and yearly bills to pay. NIPSCO is helping with the cost of installing the lights, but we will have to pay an electric bill every month just like you do at home. The parking lot will have to be sealed from time to time and the stone will have to be highlighted every couple of years.
We would like to set up trust so when all of us are long gone, this Memorial can stay in the same shape as the day we put it up.
We are working on getting electricity to the site so we can provide temporary lighting on the stone and be able to fly the flags at night.
It looks like we won't get the walkway and pad in front of the Memorial until next spring. We hope to have it done before Memorial Day because we want to have a service that day. When we pour the walkway and pad this will be the second part of our
project. The one that honors all the veterans of all the wars. Every 40
feet or so we will sawcut a section of the walkway and put an engraved block
in starting with World War I. As you walk toward the memorial, the next one
you will see will be World War II, then Korea. There will be no block for
Vietnam since our memorial represents Vietnam Vets from Indiana. As you
walk around the pad and start back toward the walkway, there will be blocks
for Granada and Desert Storm. Also, just off one side of the walkway will
be a 4-foot black granite pulpit with an inscription to honor all veterans
of all wars. This is why we call it a "Veterans Memorial" not just a
"Vietnam Veterans Memorial."
In the spring when we start landscaping I would like to pick one day for an open house. We will buy the shrubs and flowers and tools (unless someone wants to donate them) and invite everyone to come out and share a part in planting and cleaning up around the site. Maybe even have some refreshments and cook some hot dogs.
Once again . . . and I don't think it can be said enough . . . the Committee thanks the people in the mill for their patience and continued support for the many years that this project encompassed.
If anyone has any questions you can contact me at the Union Hall, 762-6787 or 926-7623. By the way, we have had a few new people sign up for payroll deduction. If you're interested, I have the cards at the Union Hall.
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