It’s been thirteen years since efforts were launched to build a Veterans Wall of Honor in Habersham County. Last year flag poles were raised and bricks were laid at the site of the memorial on Business 441 in Cornelia across from Ethicon. Now, a generous gift from an anonymous donor is propelling the project forward.
Habersham County Wall of Honor Committee Chairman Larry Whitfield says the committee recently received a check for $12,500 enabling the first phase of construction to be completed.
Whitfield says two granite slabs are on order. The names of Habersham County veterans will be inscribed upon them. He says organizers hope to have the first two sections of the wall up by December. “I’ve been a little bit skeptical about it (the wall being completed) but right now I feel real good. The enthusiasm is up with our people and veterans and they’re very excited that we’re going to get up this first section of the wall.”
Whitfield says due to the size of the donation they were able to double the size of the granite walls that will soon be installed. Some 2,400 names will be inscribed upon them. Priority is being given to World War II veterans. “We want to make sure they get a chance to see their names on the wall and know they’ll never be forgotten,” says Wall of Honor Committee Treasurer Andrea Harper.
So far, $75,000 has been raised to help fund the project which is aimed at honoring all veterans from Habersham County who have served in the Armed Forces. To be included on the wall veterans must have been born in or lived in Habersham County for at least five years and they must have received an honorable discharge.
The design of the Habersham memorial is unique in that most veterans’ memorials simply signify branches of service and generically thank all veterans for their service. This one is more personal. “We’re looking at approximately 5,000 names that will be included, from the Revoluntionary War on up,” says Whitfield.
Whitfield is not a veteran himself but he has a heart for them. A local funeral home owner, he has been involved with the Wall of Honor Committee since the beginning. It’s been a long road and there’s still much work to be done. Whitfield estimates total construction costs of the Habersham County Veterans Wall of Honor will reach $165,000. That money is being raised through donors, fundraisers and the sale of memorial bricks. In-kind donations are helping to curb some of the costs. Whitfield says Lowe’s in Cornelia has offered to provide free landscaping services. “They want to do it for veterans,” a grateful Whitfield says of Lowe’s.
December was not the Wall of Honor Committee’s first choice for the unveiling. A ceremony was planned for Veterans Day but had to be canceled due to structural issues. “There were imperfections in the granite,” Harper says, “and we had to reorder it.”
Whitfield says it will take three to four phases of construction to complete the memorial. Each phase will be completed once enough money is raised.
Beyond building the wall, there are costs involved in maintaining it. The committee is seeking donors who will pledge money to replace the worn and torn military flags that surround the U.S. Flag at the site. There are five military flags, one for each branch of service, and Whitfield says they need to be replaced annually. Each flag costs $50. Woodmen of the World donated the American flag and Whitfield says he expects the insurance company will continue to do so.
The Habersham County Wall of Honor Committee is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Donations can be mailed to the Habersham County Veterans Wall of Honor Committee at P.O. Box 298, Demorest, GA 30535. To purchase a brick or make an online donation visit hcwallofhonor.org. You can also keep up with progress on the Wall of Honor through Facebook.
Whitfield says it’s been a long journey but it’s been worth it. “We’re glad to see it’s becoming a reality,” he says. “The veterans deserve this.”
