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SYRACUSE - Thank a veteran.
Not just on Veterans Day, but every day.
That's one of the messages the public received at the dedication of the Veterans Memorial at Crosson Mill Park, Syracuse, on Veterans Day Thursday.
American Legion Post 223 past commander Mike Perzanowski opened the ceremony saying, "As we honor our veterans today, we will do well to remember freedom did not come easy," and veterans never should be taken for granted.
U.S. Congressman Mark Souder said, "This is a tremendous way to respect the veterans in this community and county. ... How can we ever thank those who sacrificed for us?"
It's because of veterans that America is free and has the conveniences that it does, he said.
"We can never, never forget what they did, and memorials like this" help us to remember, Souder said.
American Legion Auxiliary National Executive Committee member Nancy Leighty said, "This is a tribute to each and every veteran out there."
Americans need to keep in mind that they need to thank veterans each and every day, not just on Veterans Day. "We can't say thank you enough," she said.
"This is a great thing and everyone worked on this," Tim Stouder, Veterans of Foreign Wars commander, told the audience.
"It's for all the veterans," said J.R. Jones, Post 223, of the memorial. "With the park setting, people can come and relax and bring the kids."
Jones said the memorial was more than a year in the making. The Chamber of Commerce originally brought the idea to the Legion and the Legion took it from there, raising support and dollars.
The memorial is a clock surrounded by the flags of the different branches of the military, the American flag and the MIA flag. Bricks on the memorial are engraved with the names of servicemen past and present. The memorial is lighted so it can be seen even at night.
"It's very visible from Ind. 13," said Michael Hixenbaugh, Syracuse Parks Department superintendent.
Earthwork provided the grading, pole and clock setting for the memorial. Bontrager Concrete did the concrete work, Digging in the Dirt provided the sod work and electrical work was provided by Tom's Electric. Boss Paving laid the bricks.
Heather Harwood, Syracuse, was the project coordinator and architect for the memorial.
"Heather did a good job," said Jones.
"She did one remarkable job on this memorial," said Perzanowski during the ceremony.
After the ceremony, Harwood said she came up with a couple different concepts for the memorial and the veterans selected the final design. In designing the memorial, she said, she wanted to feature the clock, the flags and the bricks. The Post was a "nice group to work with" and everyone in the community pitched in.
Harwood said she's done some civic projects before, but this was her first veterans memorial.
"I liked the ceremony," she said. "I like what Mike Perzanowski said, what Congressman Mark Souder said. I thought that was very nicely stated."
