The Sullivan County Town of Callicoon is one step closer to getting its first veterans' memorial. And as Time Warner Cable News' Jackson Wang explains, the idea was inspired by a veteran.
CALLICOON CENTER, N.Y. -- Vietnam veteran Dennis Finley has lived in Callicoon for most of his life. But about five years ago, he noticed the town was missing something.
"I realized there isn’t really any recognition of veterans in this town, and it would be a nice thing if we can create a memorial for them," Finley said.
So he made that suggestion to the town. A few months later, the town supervisor asked him if he would like to chair a committee to make the memorial a reality.
"I was very honored when he asked me, and I said of course I would," Finley said. "And he told me that a piece of land had been set aside by the town to designate the memorial."
The committee went to work, researching the history of residents who served, and looking for ways to fund the project. A grant from Sullivan Renaissance enabled the town to break ground last month.
"Recently, we’ve done the excavating for it, and all the below-ground work is done now,” said Kris Scullion, the Callicoon highway superintendent and a member of the committee.
With the foundation now set, the focus turns to collecting donations. The group, Jeffersonville Enhances More of Sullivan, is gathering donations for the town. The memorial is expected to cost about $30,000. The town hopes to continue the construction in the spring. It'll involve large pieces of bluestone.
"We’ve got enough to do what we did so far, but now we’re asking for the donations to really turn out,” Scullion said.
Meanwhile, Finley says this memorial will recognize those who served.
"Those who have stood up and marched off to war, they need to be recognized," Finley said, "because if they didn’t, you and I may not even be here talking today."
If everything goes according to plan, the town hopes to have the memorial completed by summer.