Group hopes to create new memorial for 21st century veterans

The Young County Veterans Memorial will be getting a new addition to honor Young County veterans of the 21st century with a kick-off for the community project on Veterans Day at United Supermarkets. The memorial will keep the same style as the present Young County Veterans Memorial and will list the names of veterans who were inducted in or held a “Home of Record” in Young County on their certificate of release or discharge from active duty from Jan. 1, 2001 to present. The Young County New Century Veterans Memorial Project organization was formed and has met the last Tuesday of every month since June to discuss plans for the project. “I began thinking of it in the spring and praying about it and then in May I called Steve Bristow because he had been one of the guys who headed up the present monument that is out there for the last century,” said Young County NCVM Chairman Reta McCallum. “Then in June we had a meeting and invited Knox Bishop, retired colonel, and we decided that this is very worthwhile and it’s a good time to do it and so we invited some other veterans to be on the committee and everyone we asked was just very gracious and joined the committee.” United Supermarkets and the Young County NCVM will host a free hot dog lunch kick-off event Veterans Day from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., for American veterans. Hot dogs will be available for the general public and a donation bucket will be at the event which will help fund the organization’s efforts. “It is free to veterans, but if you want to come by and get a hotdog that is fine, and if you don’t want to make a donation, that is fine too. It’s really gearing towards a opportunity to thank veterans,” said McCallum. For the rest of this story, subscribe to our print or online edition.