By Nathan Ham
The Fourth of July holiday in Boone will be a little more special this year with the completion of the Watauga Veteran’s Memorial that will officially be unveiled that morning.
The dedication program will begin at 9:25 a.m. with the Watauga Community Band playing martial music before bugles sound a call to arms at 9:35 a.m.
At 9:45 the ceremony begins with welcome remarks from the event’s master of ceremonies, Cpt. Fred Schmitt, United States Coast Guard.
The colors will be presented by the American Legion Post 130 and the national anthem will be played by the Watauga Community Band.
Following that, Boone Mayor Rennie Brantz will speak, followed by comments from Col. Benjamin Covington representing the United States Army.
Veterans will then be asked to stand as the memorial is unveiled and then the Watauga Community Band will play the service songs for all five branches of the armed forces. The ceremony is expected to end around 10:30 a.m.
The project took around two years to complete between fundraising efforts, finding an artist to build the memorial and eventually clearing out the space on King Street for the completed project.
Banner Elk native Suzie Hallier was the artist chosen to do the project by the Watauga County Veterans Memorial Executive Committee.
“I am very honored to be awarded the opportunity to create a meaningful work of art in downtown Boone,” Hallier said. “I know that it is a great responsibility to help our community remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and I am humbled by the committee’s choice to involve my suggested piece.”
The fundraising efforts for this project were led by the High Country Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (HCCMOAA). There were well over 150 different donors that contributed to making this project a reality.
The memorial is located at 567 W. King Street in downtown Boone.
Following the dedication ceremony there will be a full day of events in Boone. The annual Fourth of July Parade will kick off at 11 .m. with this year’s Grand Marshalls being legendary Appalachian State University football head coach Jerry Moore and his wife, Margaret. The parade will begin at the Poplar Grove Extension traveling east on King Street before concluding at the Legends parking lot on Hardin Street.
Later in the evening, the fireworks show will start around 9:30 p.m. at Clawson-Burnley Park, located on Hunting Hills Lane. Events start at 7 p.m. with music by DJ Carl as well as food and snack vendors. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for the fireworks show.
Watauga Veterans’ Memorial donation list
Platinum: North Carolina Rep. Jonathan Jordan
Diamond: Watauga County Commissioners, Town of Boone (in kind), IONCON Engineering (in kind)
Gold: High Country Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America
Silver: Remek Trust, Creekside Electronics (in kind), Boone Sunrise Rotary
Bronze: Samaritan’s Purse, M-Prints Inc., Daniel Winkler Knifemaker, LLC, anonymous
Aluminum: American Legion Post #130, Town of Seven Devils TDA, Annie Pipes, Col. Ben and Ruth Covington, Sy Katz Produce, Inc., Daniel Boone Chapter DAR, LTC Ed and Frankie Groff, Boone Rentals, Wal-Mart of Boone, Harvest House Church, Skyline Membership Corp., Tim and Carolyn Hilton, CPT Nick and Mary Friedman, Mast General Store, Modern Toyota, CAPT James and Lori Fisher, Alley Family in Memory of Randy Alley, Blue Star Mothers of the High Country, Boone Chamber of Commerce, John and Janet Winkler, LifeStore Bank, Gudrun Ohlen, anonymous.
Copper: LT H.V. and Jeanne Morris, Doug and Shelley Helms, A. Kelly, LLC, Watauga Medics, Watauga Building Supply (in kind), COL Sonny and LTC Bricca Sweet, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Piedmont Federal Bank, Terry Shawn Ausel, Edna Bouboulis, Dr. Robert H. Bridgeman, Allen Wealth Management, Lost Province Brewing Co., Appalachian Mountain Brewery (in kind), Edward Small, CAPT Doug and Kathy Ehrhardt, Lt. Col. Robert “Bob” Reneau, Ernest and Peggy Harley.
Tin: Keith Buchanan, CPA, W. Edward and Cheryl Brown, Holly Winkler, Matt and Vicki Stevens, Larry Foster, Ted Hagaman, Susan Norris, P.R. Pokoske, Geraldine Miller, U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, Larry Turnbow, Ri Nakamura, Sam Adams, Al Olson, Marshall Ashcraft, J. Robert and Julia Gayers, Fredrick Still, Diane Cornett Deal, R.A. Newsome, Lt. Col. Anne and Thomas Low, COL Jeri Graham, LTC Mike Halus, Bryan P. Crutcher, CPT Melanie Trado, Jeremy Turner, Janet Mears, Terry Hamilton, Pepper’s Restaurant, Holly Winkler, Consolidated Electrical Distributors (in kind), Maryrose Carroll, Deep Gap Ruritan Club, Green Valley Elementary School, Sheriff Len and Ruth Hagaman, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Peay, LT Bob Love and Diane Jeffery, CPT Dick and Geraldine Parrott, Mitchell Gragg, Sunset & Vine Wine Shop, Kim Blake, Kathy and Paul Idol, David Beckett, Barbara Daye, North Carolina Senator Shirley Randleman, Helen Barnes, Lt. Col. Dan and Doris Glowa, Mountaineer Ruritan, Boone Drug, Janice Pope, Susan King, Charlotte and Wayne Mizelle, Kathryn Mast, BGen Jim and Nancy Walker, Jim Epperson, Ray Russell, Donna Breitenstein, CAPT Fred and Jesse Schmitt, Jack Simpson, CAPT Charles Rhodes, Ron Talley and Unal Boya, Dan Pleshko, LTC David Cox, Stephen Smith, Farmer’s Hardware, LTC Ron and Deb Branch, Anna Phillips, Maj Dinah Pinney, SEANC District 3, CAPT Brad and Kay Lambert, Carolyn and Robert Fogle, CPT John Morris, Ron Fox, CAPT Doug and Wendy May, Ceylon Barclay, Pricilla P. Sprunt, CDR Jim and Linda Tabor, Peri Moretz, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Scott and Teresa Eggers, Larry Kouslcin, Jennifer Coffey, Norman Locke, LTC Lloyd and Cheryl Scott, MAJ Ted and Brenda Alley, Nancy Brunzos, Meghan and Loura Edmisten, Susan and John Overcash, Ronald Dean, Jon Morris, Carolyn Owens, Janie Doughtery, Woodlands Barbecue (in kind), 1st SGT Bob and Mrs. Ward, Deal, Moseley, Smith LLP, Brenda Lowman, Dr. Charles and Diane Ford, Elyn Swofford Wright, MAJ Bob Gibbard, Betsy and John Wilcox, Ben and Shirley Fox, Elsie Winebarger, Philip and Nancy Zeiss, BG William and Jane Richardson, COL Clem Harper, Dr. Charles Czermak, Edward Kluiters, Patricia and Tom McGuire, MG Skip McCartney, Lt. Col. Joe Lea, MAJ Marv and Judy Williamsen, Dr. Richard Forbes, Kristin Copeland, Appalachian Brian Estates, Dorothy Barker, Dr. John Thomas, Mountain Times Publications (in kind), LTC John and Rachel Sterrett, Jewel Hayes Watson, Barbecue Burgers & Brews (in kind), CDR Gerarda and CW3 John Persad, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Loven Ready Mix Concrete (in kind), Harris Teeter (in kind), New River Building Supply (in kind) Dr. Lynn Gregory, David Jackson in Memory of CPL Harry A. Jackson AAF, James and Donna Minton in Memory of Joseph Lester Warren, Glenda Lynch in Memory of SGM Peter F. Lynch, III, DiSanti, Watson, Capua, Wilson Garrett, PLLC in Honor of Tony DiSanti and Holly Winkler, Leslie and Mark Bradbury in Memory of Bill Dame, Gail Houser in Memory of Robert “Jack” Greene, Edwin and Ellen Arnold in Memory of Arnold K. Lester, Sr., Henry and Janet Trivett in Memory of John Sam.
Special thanks: Jim Clemmons – Clemmons Welding, Bill Dicks – The Sign Shop, Donna Breitenstein – Bouquet Florist & Gifts
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