Elkhart Works for Veterans
Renovation
of Veteran Park underway, donations
welcome
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[November 08, 2017]
ELKHART
The Village of
Elkhart is taking steps renovate
their Veterans’ Park to become a
place for veterans and the community
to go to reflect, to honor veterans,
to celebrate our country’s military,
and to appreciate local military
history.
“Our vision is to
improve the existing park to make it
safe and restore it to honor
veterans, have a public space for
congregation, improve historic
downtown Elkhart, and provide a park
location worthy of cultural and
historical events,” says Lois Olson,
President of Elkhart’s Need and
Goals group. Needs and Goals of
Elkhart (NAG) was formed in 1984 and
has been the “caretaker” of the
current Veterans’ Park for many
years. Any veteran (young, senior,
disabled, retired, active or other)
in the Village, Logan County, or
visiting will be able to use the
park to meditate and remember
comrades. Olson continues, “We also
foresee Veterans’ events, community
festivals, outdoor movies, potlucks,
and concerts in the renovated park.”
Elkhart’s Veterans’
Park was created by Susan K. Green
in 1977 to honor veterans on behalf
of her sister, Elizabeth Drake. Both
were grandchildren of the wife of
Richard Oglesby, who was a three
term Governor of Illinois, veteran
of the Mexican American War, and a
Civil War general. The site of the
park was a dilapidated commercial
building on Governor Oglesby Street
that was razed to provide the
downtown location for the park.
Located in historic downtown
Elkhart, the current Veterans' Park
is home to a WWI Doughboy statue
that was presented to the Village by
the returning veterans of World War
I in honor of the men who did not
return from that war. Since then,
plaques have been added to the
statue with the names of Village
veterans from WWII, the Korean War
and all veterans killed in action
from Elkhart during past wars.
Now, in 2017, the park needs
updating. Janice Funk, NAG’s Project
Manager for the park renovation,
says, “There is currently no
electricity, no water and few
sitting places in the park. The
plantings are only a few potted
annual flowers and weeds had
overtaken the broken brick surface.
The WWI Doughboy statue is stained
and soiled and requires cleaning.”
“We’ve had many wonderful volunteers
helping us,” Funk states, “and there
is lot of work left to do – but we
are making progress.” The project
includes ensuring that the park is
handicap accessible with a safe,
stable surface; updating the US flag
depository; landscaping; a
reflective sitting wall and benches
around the perimeter; and installing
electricity and water in the park.
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The Veterans’ Park
Project is designed to be used by
veterans in the Village of Elkhart
or living in or visiting Logan
County, their families and children,
and extended families and friends.
Individuals will be able to deposit
tattered flags in a proper disposal
box located in the park. Decorated
with bunting on military days and
holidays, and adorned with flowers
during the spring and summer, the
renovated park will have an enduring
impact on the lives of current
military, veterans, their families
and local communities. In addition,
the park will provide a place for
community events and a pleasant stop
for tourists who travel through
Elkhart on Rt. 66.
“In-kind donations,
volunteer help, landscaping
materials and monetary donations are
needed and appreciated,” says Peggy
Lee, Village of Elkhart Trustee.
“Anyone wanting to see the park
design, or wanting to pick up a
brochure with more information, can
go to the UCB Bank on Governor
Oglesby Street in Elkhart.”
Donations to the “Veterans’ Park
Fund” are tax deductible and can be
sent to PO Box 20, Elkhart, IL
62634.
[Peggy Lee]
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