After the Vietnam Memorial traveling wall visited Greene County last year, members of VFW Post #4793 decided to take further steps to honor veterans. They began preparations for the Greene County Salute to Veterans Memorial Park and Wall.

“We had the Vietnam Memorial traveling wall last year and I was just amazed at the reception that wall got,” said Sargent Rick Black of Post #4793. “The whole community and the surrounding communities came out to see it and we had people from 22 different states come as well.”

The new park and the wall will be located on Rolling Meadows Rd. near the Greene County Museum, which is also where the Greene County WWI Monument is currently located.

“Right now, we are figuring out how we want to finalize it and also, we are going to get together a tri-fold,” said Black. “We are also allowing people to buy granite bricks and on the granite plaque it will say their name, their branch and the years they served.”

There will be two sizes of granite bricks and plaques for people to choose from, but according to Black, the two sizes have not been finalized yet. Black also added that the bricks and plaques for the wall can be for any veteran, not just people from Greene County.

“I just feel like Greene County is ready for it,” he said.

The goal is for the Memorial Park to be finished by  Nov. 11, 2019, which will be the 100th anniversary of Veterans/Armistice day. The park is set to break ground in April.

The Memorial park and wall is currently in need of sponsors, Black said. He said there will be five tiers of donations, which will range between $1,000 and $20,000.

“We are looking for corporate sponsors to help us because the wall will cost us quite a bit,” he said.

Black said there is a committee of five or six people for the Greene County Salute to Veterans Memorial Park and Wall, and the Greene County Commissioners have also helped a lot.

“When I went to them they said sure just let us know whatever you need,” said Black. “The land that the Memorial Park will be on was donated by them; it is county land.”

A replica of the Greene County Salute to Veterans Memorial Park and Wall has been constructed for display. It was originally located in the windows of First Federal, but now, according to Black, is across the street over at First National. There is also a rough sketch of the entire park, which was created by a local engineer who Black said wants to remain anonymous.

“There have been a lot of people from the local community that has helped us along the way with this project,” said Black. “We just want to thank them for their help.”