Surrounded by community and state leaders, Newton County veterans took time on Saturday to officially break ground on a new Veterans Memorial Park off Hwy. 15 in Decatur.
The new park is located next to the American Legion Hut, which is the home for American Legion Post 89, and is in front of the National Guard maintenance shop.
Newton County Veterans Service Officer and Post 89 commander Johnny Reeves said finding the right place for the park took some time and effort, but he said he thinks it’s a great location.
“With the help of the Town of Decatur, Sam Bounds, the Newton County Board of Supervisors and the Mississippi Department of Transportation, we were able to find the piece of property we are standing on now,” Reeves said. “We have something to be proud of, a way to remember our Newton County veterans and their sacrifices.”
Decatur Chamber of Commerce President Mark Buntyn said the wonderful idea has become a reality. He noted that every brick that has a name on it represents a story. And he encouraged local veterans to tell those stories.
“J.W. Thrash would tell me his story of his time in the Navy,” Buntyn said. “We all have heard stories from our veterans. This Newton County Veterans Memorial Park will be a lasting reminder of these stories.”
Mayor David Marshall asked everyone present to spread the word about Veterans Park.
“I just couldn’t imagine this memorial being in another place,” Marshall said. “Please remind everyone of what we are doing here.”
David Culpepper, deputy director of outreach for the Mississippi Department of Veterans Affairs, said he encouraged everyone to think about each of the men and women represented by park once it is completed when they pass by on the road.
“These are your neighbors. These are your classmates. These are your church members and even your family,” Culpepper said. “Let their legacies live on through the conversations that we have in their honor.”
Col. Britt Nichols, vice commander of the 186th Refueling in Meridian, spoke on behalf of those in the military and veterans.
“I just want to say to you, thank you,” Nichols said. “Thank you for remembering their sacrifices. Thank you for remembering their dedication. Thank you for doing these little things right here that point to a better thing… This glamorizes what’s really important and the people that are really important.”
