Veterans’ names are still being sought for new memorial

HARTINGTON — Veteran names that will be engraved on one of six granite monuments at the new Hartington Area Veterans’ Memorial are continuing to flow in at a pretty steady pace.

Currently, close to 800 names have been either sponsored or adopted with a goal to reach at least 1,200 veteran names by Dec. 1, 2021. The six monuments will be able to hold up to 1,800 names in total with names being engraved on both the front and the back of each memorial.

Three to four lines will be left below the last family name engraved for each letter of the alphabet to allow some additional names to be added so they will at least be included with the correct alphabetical letter. The sixth monument will be left blank initially in order to add additional veteran names long into the future.

The names on the sixth monument will not appear in alphabetical order but in the order that they are received.

“We are providing the room to add additional names for current veterans that missed the cut-off date for the initial name engraving and to be in a position to add veteran names for the next 50 years or more,” said project chairman Dan Kathol. “The number of veteran names will all depend upon the future need for enlisted personnel as well as National Guard and Reserve personnel which will develop over time.”

In addition, there will be space near the current planned six monuments to add at least two identical monuments for the far distant future.

“We want the memorial to be able to have additional veteran names added so we can expand the memorial to accommodate veterans for a number of future generations,” Kathol said.

Veteran names are being sought for all men and women who have served in the military including the National Guard and the Reserves from the Civil War period up to the present day to include both living and deceased veterans who have any connection to the Harlington area.

Memorial This includes veterans who grew up in the area and moved away or may not ever have actually lived in the area but have family ties to the Harlington area.

“We want to open up veteran sponsorships very broadly so that veterans can have a home in the Hartington Area Veterans Memorial and have their service to our country recognized. Even if a veteran already has their name included in another veterans’ memorial in another town or city, we welcome them to be included in the Harlington Area Veterans Memorial, as well,” Kathol said.

In order to help finance the entire veterans’ memorial, a donation of $150 per veteran name is being requested for sponsored veterans and adopted veterans.

The engraving on the monuments for the veteran names will include the veterans first name, middle initial, last name and the branch of service.

“There will be a large group of veterans where a sponsorship will not be found for a veteran and for this group, we have provided the opportunity for individuals or families to adopt a veteran or several veterans. Currently, we have over 40 veteran adoptions and as we get close to the date when we have to finalize the names to appear on the monuments, we will fill in the adoption sponsorships with a veteran name. The priority will be to include those unsponsored veterans who were killed in action, missing in action or who were a POW,” Kathol said.

Forms to sponsor or adopt a veteran can be found at the Harlington Post Office and City Office, the Cedar County Treasurer’s office, Steffen Drug, Burnell’s Foodtown and at each of the local Harlington banks.

Forms can also be found online at the website www. hartingtonveterans.com or one can email Dan Kathol at kathold@hartel.net and a form can be emailed or mailed out. Any and all questions can also be answered by emailing or calling Dan Kathol at (402) 640-3334.

The cut-off date to have all the veteran names sponsored or adopted is Dec. 1, 2021. The date for the completion of the entire memorial is targeted for late summer 2022 with a dedication planned for Veteran’s Day in November 2022 assuming all the necessary money is raised and there are no construction delays.

“We all have a debt to pay for the freedom we enjoy in our country and remembering our veterans with a memorial in their honor is a way we can all help pay part of our debt for this freedom,” said Kathol.

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