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Veterans closer to dedicating new memorial
By Jolene Guzman, Staff Writer
Friday, October 24, 2008 | 1 comment(s)
Friends of the late David Dewett are almost ready to dedicate a memorial in the veteran’s honor. Dewett, a U.S. Navy veteran and graduate of North Bend High School, who died of lung cancer in August 2005, was the first to think of building a memorial at the wayside.
On Thursday, members of the Point Man Ministries Outpost 101, with the help of two Central Lincoln PUD pole trucks and crew, gathered to install three flag poles at the memorial site just north of the McCullough Bridge.
“He had the vision of it,” Point Man Ministries member Mark Winders said Wednesday. “Then he came down with cancer and died two months later. That really spurred us.”
Winders looked up at the poles under the a clear sky and cool fall sunshine.
“I can’t believe they are standing,” he said.
Point Man will dedicate the memorial on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.
Not that long ago, the wayside was a plain grass and gravel turnout. Point Man wants the memorial to be something more than the spot people stop to take photos of the spectacular view of the McCullough Bridge rising to the south and the dunes to the west.
“This is something the county can be proud of,” Winders said.
Originally the memorial was going to be much smaller, but pieces fell into place to make it a larger project.
First, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill which made state funding assistance available to nonprofit veterans’ organization to build or restore war or veterans memorials. Local businesses heard about the project and donated labor to prepare the site. In the end, Point Man got a $50,000 Oregon Park and Recreation Department’s Veterans’ War Memorial grant.
Winders said the group is planning to pave the wayside and install benches after the centerpiece is finished.
“When we first started, it was going to be just be a rock and flag pole,” Winders said. “It kind of took on a life of its own.”
The not-quite-finished memorial will feature five granite pedestals with engravings of Bible verses, famous sayings and military branch insignias, three flag poles, thousands of bricks, some with engraved dedications, and a POW and MIA memorial.
Point Man is in its final push to put all the pieces together before the dedication. Winders said the granite needs to be installed, basalt pillars for the POW memorial need to picked out and delivered, the remaining bricks put down and landscaping finished in the next few weeks.
The completed memorial will not be just for those lost in the line of duty, but all who served.
“This is a living memorial, for all veterans,” Winders said.
On Thursday, members of the Point Man Ministries Outpost 101, with the help of two Central Lincoln PUD pole trucks and crew, gathered to install three flag poles at the memorial site just north of the McCullough Bridge.
“He had the vision of it,” Point Man Ministries member Mark Winders said Wednesday. “Then he came down with cancer and died two months later. That really spurred us.”
Winders looked up at the poles under the a clear sky and cool fall sunshine.
“I can’t believe they are standing,” he said.
Point Man will dedicate the memorial on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.
Not that long ago, the wayside was a plain grass and gravel turnout. Point Man wants the memorial to be something more than the spot people stop to take photos of the spectacular view of the McCullough Bridge rising to the south and the dunes to the west.
“This is something the county can be proud of,” Winders said.
Originally the memorial was going to be much smaller, but pieces fell into place to make it a larger project.
First, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill which made state funding assistance available to nonprofit veterans’ organization to build or restore war or veterans memorials. Local businesses heard about the project and donated labor to prepare the site. In the end, Point Man got a $50,000 Oregon Park and Recreation Department’s Veterans’ War Memorial grant.
Winders said the group is planning to pave the wayside and install benches after the centerpiece is finished.
“When we first started, it was going to be just be a rock and flag pole,” Winders said. “It kind of took on a life of its own.”
The not-quite-finished memorial will feature five granite pedestals with engravings of Bible verses, famous sayings and military branch insignias, three flag poles, thousands of bricks, some with engraved dedications, and a POW and MIA memorial.
Point Man is in its final push to put all the pieces together before the dedication. Winders said the granite needs to be installed, basalt pillars for the POW memorial need to picked out and delivered, the remaining bricks put down and landscaping finished in the next few weeks.
The completed memorial will not be just for those lost in the line of duty, but all who served.
“This is a living memorial, for all veterans,” Winders said.
Point Man Ministries Outpost 101 will dedicate the David Dewett Veterans Memorial at the wayside north of the McCullough Bridge on U.S. Highway 101 on Veterans Day, Tuesday Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.
Due to limited parking at the wayside, shuttles will be picking guests up on the Myrtlewood Factory parking lot near Hauser. Shuttles will start picking people up at 9:30 a.m., and dropping off at the wayside every 15 minutes.
For more information, call Julie Olsen at 756-5061.
Due to limited parking at the wayside, shuttles will be picking guests up on the Myrtlewood Factory parking lot near Hauser. Shuttles will start picking people up at 9:30 a.m., and dropping off at the wayside every 15 minutes.
For more information, call Julie Olsen at 756-5061.
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