Work Progresses On Veterans Memorial

By Reagan ConnellyThe Jefferson County Veterans memorial is on track to be completed by Memorial Day Weekend of 2023.“Of course, Mother Nature keeps throwing us curve balls, but we are currently on schedule,” Mick Suey, the Fairbury City Museum president, said.Suey said the pad has been dug, the footings have been poured and they are ready to put the rock down now. After the rock has been put down, they will pour the pad. After this has been completed, they will finish that part of the project by coloring and stamping the concrete pad.“So, the pad will be ready, hopefully, within the next couple weeks,” Suey said.The artist hired for the project, Tom Hunt, is currently working on the statue. “But that will not be put out until a few days before the actual opening because we don’t want to spoil the surprise on that,” Suey said.After the pad has been completed, Hunt will begin constructing the rock which will serve as the pedestal for the statue. The rock will be five feet tall and made of quartzite. Suey said they picked this type of stone because it is only found in Jefferson County.The brick wall will be an ongoing process, Suey explained. The museum is still accepting names for the bricks and will put the order in on Veterans’ Day of this year. Endicott Clay will engrave the bricks and a mason will begin laying them early next year.However, even after the memorial is opened, people can still donate to have a named brick, Suey said. Every year on Veterans’ Day the museum will send the next batch of names to be engraved onto the brick wall.“There will never be an end to the bricks,” Suey said. “Because we will be able to add names as bricks come in. The wall will be put up a year from now, but we will be able to add names as we get them later.”Though he did not want to give any details away, Suey said they have plans to keep adding to the memorial even after it is built. “When the statue is put up and everything, that will not be the end of it. We will keep adding to it,” he said.Suey emphasized that had it not been for the generosity of Jefferson County residents, the memorial could never have happened, and for that he is incredibly grateful.“I’m very appreciative of all of the gratitude and the donations and the generosity of the people of Jefferson County,” he said. “Otherwise, this wouldn’t be able to happen, but it’s on schedule and we’re very pleased.”

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