9/9/2008 3:17:00 PM Committee unveils concept for military monument
Prescott Valley’s military monument concept, conceived by Bill Brown, will feature a plaza where people can sit and contemplate. The monument will carry the emblem of each branch of military service. Artist’s rendering by Ron Howard
Prescott Valley is well on its way to having a monument to honor its veterans - past, present and future.
Committee member and former Prescott Valley Mayor Carm Staker said the effort to construct a monument here began about two years ago.
"I got in after it started," she said. "They felt we needed to do something to recognize our military servicemen and women."
Approximately 20 people - veterans, town council, and community members - make up the committee that meets twice monthly to work on the project.
Staker said the group first created a mission statement, and then went to work on a budget, goals and a timeline.
"Then we went to the community," she said. "We asked people to submit concepts of what they thought the monument should look like."
Staker is quick to note that the monument is not a static display of the past.
"This is not a memorial," she said. "It's to honor those who have served, who are serving now, and who will serve in the future."
The committee recently unveiled a concept for the monument, designed by member Bill Brown. He collaborated with his daughter on the concept, and his friend drew it up for him.
The design is a landscaped square with trees and benches facing an open v-shaped monument with the logos of each military service branch. The U.S., Arizona and POW flags will fly from the monument.
Commemorative bricks will line the sidewalk in front of the monument, and those who want to honor a veteran past or present may purchase a brick for $50. Burgundy colored veterans' bricks will bear the name of the honoree.
The Stakers' son bought one of the bricks for his dad, WWII veteran Keith Staker, on Father's Day last year. Those who buy a brick in honor of a veteran may request a certificate to keep or present to the person they are honoring.
The committee has sold about 250 bricks so far, and Staker said it would like to sell 1,500, not only to raise money to build the monument, but to get the best price on the bricks.
Businesses will also be able to buy bricks to honor veterans. Bricks for small businesses, with the business name, cost $100, and bricks for corporations or large businesses cost $250.
"We've had great response from the community so far," Staker said. "We had a concert last July that raised money, but most of the money has come from what we call grass roots, small donations."
Businesses have also offered in-kind donations of materials, landscaping and labor.
The group has raised $25,000 of the needed $120,000 to construct the monument, and local accounting firm Siefried and Associates audits the account.
The committee and the CASA Senior Center will co-sponsor the largest-ever fundraiser for the monument on Nov. 9 at CASA. An afternoon steak dinner, silent auction, and raffle are on the menu, along with patriotic observances, a Wild West show by the Prescott Regulators and their Shady Ladies, and music by the popular Geritol Hipsters. Tickets for the USO-style event are $25 per person.
To purchase tickets for the fundraiser or bricks for the monument, or to obtain more information about the monument, call Carm Staker at 928-772-9563.
