The American Legion in Choctaw is calling on the community to help restore the city’s veterans memorial, which has fallen into disrepair over the years. Located at Elmwood Cemetery, the memorial was originally built nearly two decades ago to honor the service and sacrifice of Choctaw’s veterans, with the words “duty,” “honor,” and “freedom” prominently inscribed on its bricks.
Community Effort to Honor Veterans
Lindsey Jacobs, who manages community service and public relations for American Legion Post 127, expressed concern over the current state of the memorial. “We met with the Choctaw JROTC last year on Memorial Day to place flags at veterans’ graves, and it was really sad seeing the memorial in this shape,” Jacobs said. The bricks are crumbling, and the flags have been stolen, leaving the site in need of significant restoration.
Benjamin Tubbs, owner of VA Home Team and a partner in the restoration effort, remarked on the symbolism of the memorial’s condition. “Unfortunately, this memorial really makes me think of the veterans and kind of the way that veterans sometimes maybe feel as if they’re treated, you know, forgotten about, lost, deteriorated,” he said.
Plans for a New Beginning
The restoration project, which has been in the works since last fall, has received approval from the mayor and city council. An architect from Tinker Air Force Base has been enlisted to lead the redesign, which will involve demolishing the current structure and rebuilding a more fitting tribute to those who served. “We plan to come out here and completely demolish the standing memorial and then rebuild something that is much more beautiful and honoring to those who served,” Jacobs explained.
The American Legion aims to raise $15,000 to complete the project and is seeking support from the community. To this end, they are organizing a golf tournament with the help of local partners like VA Home Team and Choctaw Liquor Depot. “Our mission is to give back to the military community,” Tubbs stated. “We want to make a positive impact within Oklahoma, and being able to partner with the American Legion here is a perfect opportunity for us to do that.”
The golf tournament is open to the public, and sponsors are still welcome. Those interested in donating or participating can find more information on the KOCO website and app.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
