The project’s roots began with 1966 Greenon graduate Randy Ark, a Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who participates in and leads veterans activities in the community. He was a Veterans Day keynote speaker at the school a few years ago when a memorial was dedicated to four graduates who died serving in Vietnam.
“It means a lot of people sacrificed a lot of things, some at a very young age,” he said. “Whether they were people who were killed on the battlefield or not, those who served still sacrificed, and we want them to be remembered, especially by the young kids. All their freedoms were paid for by other people.”
More recently, Ark attended an alumni banquet and met Greenon Superintendent Darrin Knapke. They talked about the memorial, which was getting worn after years.
Greenon was also preparing to open a new campus at a different location in 2021, and it was speculated a new memorial would go there. But the thought was keeping it at the present location would be the better choice as former students would know the area, the location is more accessible and more people could see it.
Ark thought he may have to fight to find support, but was pleasantly surprised. He and Knapke worked with Dennis Henry, Brenda Pyles Sweet, Dennis Brown and Josh Walters from Dodds Memorials to plan what steps to take.
“I’m so glad I had support and people wanting to chip in,” Ark said.
The memorial garden will contain new landscaping provided by New View Property Maintenance and Hardscapes, which removed existing shrubbery and planted new shrubbery and added mulch. Pavers and benches were power washed; outlying memorials were relocated to the new area; Dodds Memorials dug footers and poured cement to support the memorials, and a new lighting system was installed.
The final touch to complete it — to be installed at a later date — will be a black granite slate that will be engraved with a statement and have an embedded QR code affixed to it that will contain the names and images of the hundreds who served, and future names and images can be added at later dates.
The dedication service will feature remarks from Knapke, Henry and Ark.
Ark said it was a happy coincidence the dedication comes just one day prior to Veterans Day.
“I’m glad we did it,” said Ark. “It’s comforting, something the community likes and wants, and I think it means more to people than we realize.”
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