Veterans Park: Honoring every single one
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — With heart and soul and dedication the Veterans Park, dedicated Nov. 9, shone as an example a community working tirelessly to honor veterans.
Robert Challinor, chair of the town’s Veterans Advisory Committee (VAC) and the town’s veterans agent, thanked all the community and organization members for their hard work through the years.
Mayor Barney Seney said the process was not easy. He recalled looking at the “park” from the old Town Hall, maybe seven years ago, and saying “this is not acceptable.” The work to transform the park began.
Students from the electrical and masonry departments at Ellis Tech installed the new walkways, lighting and the pavers in the Court of Honor.
Challinor said since last year 650 pavers with the names of veterans from the town’s cemeteries have been installed. Plus 604 pavers for those vets at St. Mary’s Cemetery arrived last week and will be installed. That will bring the total number of pavers to 3,762. And there is space for more. “As long as there are veterans, we will have space for them in this park.”
The park touches the heart. Challinor said not a day or weekend goes by that he does not see people in the park. “A lot of the families have used this as a place to come together and gather and remember their loved ones that are no longer here and to meet up with the ones that are here coming home from active duty.”
Marcel Morissette, exalted ruler of the Putnam Elks Lodge 594, said, “Never forget so long as there are veterans.”
Challinor said the Elks, in addition to the VAC, the American Legion Post 13, the VFW Post 1523, Ellis Tech and so many other groups have been vital to the blossoming of the park. He noted that 20 years from now a lot of the Ellis Tech students would have children and some of them may serve in the military. “They’re going to be able to look back with pride and say that I was a part of that project.”
Challinor recalled the “trench warfare” going on with the mud growing deep and “we didn’t know if we were going to have the project completed.” And a year ago, during hurricane season, the weather threatened to cause an order of pavers to arrive late. But it all worked out.
Saying he was humbled, Challinor said there are pavers honoring veterans from 43 state and three foreign countries. “Our project has reached far beyond Putnam.”
State Senator Mae Flexer read a prayer written by her father, a veteran and a pastor.
Seney said “This is a great attribute to the town and we’re not finished.” When the Revolutionary War monument goes in next year, he said “I don’t think there’s another town or state in our country that will be able to say that ”We have accounted for every veteran.”
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