Rice County Veterans Memorial Update on AM Minnesota 5-10-2016

Former Rice County Sheriff Richard Cook and past American Legion Commander Lloyd Grandprey will be guests on today's KDHL AM Minnesota program.

We will talk about the changes to plans for the Rice County Veterans Memorial on the north lawn of the Rice County Courthouse in Faribault.

The two veterans are co-chairmen of the committee overseeing the project, and I know they are encouraging people to purchases pavers in memory or honor of a loved one.

I've shared my story many times of taking my mother to see the paver I had placed at the memorial in memory of my father. The paver cost $300 and it was worth every penny just to see her reaction when I took her there to see his name inscribed on the paver.

I wrote a poem about those moments and read it during the Memorial Day Program in Central Park in 2015.

I titled the poem "It's Not Just a Paver To Me." Truer words I've never spoken. I would encourage everyone to place a memorial in honor of a special veteran in your life.

My dad never lived in Rice County.

I don't think it makes a bit of difference, because when I've passed to the next life generations of people will go to the memorial and not know if he lived here. The idea is to honor his service to his country, a service he was proud of but didn't talk much about. You probably know someone who fits that description also.

I hope you will tune in at 9:30AM, and if that time doesn't work for you go to our YouTube channel and watch the program and find out more about plans for the Rice County Veterans Memorial in Faribault.