It was President Calvin Coolidge who said: “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.”
Efforts that were approved by the Barton County Commission this week are aimed at making sure that dire prediction isn’t carried out here.
Commissioners approved plans to seek design proposals for a “veterans park” area in Golden Belt Memorial Park, one of two memorial parks which the county operates north of Great Bend.
Mick Lang, representing the Memorial Park Advisory Committee, reported that the committee, working with Road and Bridge Director Dale Phillips, have been working on design ideas for the area, and getting plans arranged for a memorial wall that will include the names and serving information for Barton County veterans.
They are also planning for changes to the placement of the flagpole in the area, so that it will be situation behind the monument and they are making plans for inscriptions, which will include the quote from Coolidge,
Other wording that is suggested for the monument would include: “This is but a small tribute dedicated to the veterans whose names are forever etched in these tablets. We are eternally grateful for their service to this great nation. All gave some, some gave all. God bless America.”
County Commissioner Richard Boeckman reported the plan is to get responses soon and, hopefully, to have information for the commissioners to address yet this year, or early in January.