This Memorial Day, Vernon residents took another significant step toward the completion of their first veterans memorial.
The project officially broke ground Monday, as the vision of Sharleen Manzione took another step toward realization. Manzione came up with the idea for the memorial after noting a number of monuments to veterans in small towns during a trip to visit her daughter, who joined the Air Force in 2013.
About 200 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony Monday, including Vernon Mayor Bruce Thomas and Tooele County Commissioners Myron Bateman, Wade Bitner and Shawn Milne.
Through fundraising efforts in the community, mainly with craft sales, 5K runs and similar events, Manzione said Vernon residents have raised more than $23,000 for the construction of a granite monument.
“I had a little idea and it went so much further,” she said. “It’s going to be a credit to the community.”
The memorial will be located just in front of the town’s cemetery and will feature three walls. The middle wall will identify the memorial, which honors Vernon veterans of all wars, while the two outside walls will contain the names of those who have served.
Manzione said the names will be etched in the granite, allowing relatives to come and record the name of their veteran through a charcoal rubbing. Last November, there were already the names of 122 veterans slated to appear on the walls.
In addition to donations from private citizens, Manzione said Ensign Engineering donated in-kind services, the Wal-Mart distribution center made a donation and the local 4-H and Boy Scout troop helped raise funds.
The conceptual drawings of the memorial were completed last year and construction costs of the monument were estimated at $15,000. The 12-member fundraising committee for the project hoped to raise more than $20,000 to prepare for cost overruns and additional money for landscaping and additional expenses.
The town just posted the request for proposals and will select a company for the final construction of the memorial, which is to be completed over the summer. Manzione said the hope had been to finish the work by Fourth of July, but it will likely be a slightly later date at this point.
For Veterans Day and future celebrations of the nation’s servicemen and servicewomen, however, the memorial will be complete, according to Manzione.
Manzione said the committee is still accepting fundraising money toward the completion of the project. Donations can be submitted to Thomas or Manzione and should be made out to the Town of Vernon.