I was approached by this group of Marines when they heard I was wanting to move their original monument, dedicated in 1988, to where the larger monuments are located in the park, and place it on a nice polished black granite stand.
I met with these veterans one Saturday morning in the park. We kicked around a few ideas, came up with a plan and I told them I would help raise the money for the project.
Gray told me that VFW Post #1031 would like to donate $500 to help the Marines out. I gratefully accepted their generous offer.
Located at 1237 E. Main St. in Springfield, Post #1031 invited me to become a member a few years ago after I’d spoken to the group about supporting our efforts to subtitle Fountain Avenue “Purple Heart Way.” This VFW Post has been around Springfield for 93 years, and their Women’s Auxiliary for about 80 years.
Before I became a member, I had no idea of the activities they were involved in that benefit our community. They have dinners every Friday night open to the public. They donate over $10,000 yearly to local charities, schools, churches and other organizations. They donate cookies and fruit to the Springfield Regional Medical Center emergency room, as well as to Springfield’s police and fire/rescue divisions and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
“Veterans are precious and extremely important to us,” Gray said. “We take time to regularly visit the Dayton VA Hospital to provide games, snacks and companionship to the veterans hospitalized at the time.”
He went on to explain that the post’s goal is to continue supporting our community and our veterans. He said that he hoped to increase membership by one half and to make the public more aware of the post’s community activities.
“The sad fact is, we are losing our older members at a rapid rate,” he said, “and it is my hope there will be younger men and women who will carry on the proud traditions established so long ago.”
For more information on the Marine Memorial, please contact Randy Ark at randyark48@gmail.com.
(Ark is a veteran and member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart)
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