JACKSON MEMORIAL TO ALL VETERANS WILL BE DEDICATED ON SATURDAY

JACKSON -- A memorial to honor veterans of all wars will be dedicated Saturday in Jackson's Brookside Park.

The ceremony is part of the annual May Day Loyalty Day program sponsored by the Jackson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10495.

"We urge all veterans and their families and relatives of living and deceased veterans, and the general public, to come out and attend the dedication program," said Charles Shultz, a member of the VFW post.

Activities will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a half-hour program of music by the Jackson Municipal Band, Shultz said.

At 2 p.m., members of the post will conduct the Loyalty Day program, with Shultz as the master of ceremonies.

"Following the program, the dedication of the memorial will begin," Shultz said.

He said the first phase of the memorial project included construction of a flag pole, a paved circle walkway, and placement of three large curved20granite stones.

The stones commemorate U.S. veterans who served in peace time and in the 10 official wars since the American Revolution.

One of the stones will have emblems of the branches of the U.S. armed forces. Another will be engraved with the first verse of "Taps". The third stone will be engraved with a text that explains the memorial.

Another dedication service of black granite panels that will include the names of veterans will be held in July, Shultz said.

The dedication program will continue with the singing of a Civil War song and Taps, followed by the unveiling of the monuments. A 10-rifle volley will recall the 10 wars that veterans have died in since the founding of the United States.

Those planning to attend should use the parking lot at the north edge of the park, near the intersection of Brookview and Goodson. Brookside Park is situated on Highway 61 on the north end of Jackson.

When completed, the memorial will include an "open air" chapel with benches and a walkway leading from the flag pole to the chapel.

Total cost of the memorial is estimated at $30,000, all of which will come from donations.

Gwen Winningham, one of the trustees of the memorial project, said names of any living or deceased veteran can be engraved on the wall. The veteran does not have to be a resident of Cape Girardeau County.

The memorial committee is accepting names for engravings that will begin later this year. A donation of $50 per name will cover the cost of engraving.

Those submitting names of veterans should include the first name, middle initial, and last name, the branch of service, and the war or years served in the military.

For more information call 243-7186, or 243-8224, evenings.