Despite rainy weather, veterans and members of the community were in attendance to witness the groundbreaking for the new monument, which will honor families who have lost a loved one in the line of service, also known as Gold Star Families.

“This is something that we, as veterans, look very forward to,” Chairman of the All-Veterans Memorial Council Jeff Wood said during the ceremony. “This memorial will stand proud for those families who suffered the loss of their loved ones in the pursuit of freedom.”

The welcome address was given by retired Vice Admiral J. Dan McCarthy of the United States Navy, who is Chair of the Elkins Gold Star Monument Committee and Past District Governor of Rotary District 754.

The event’s invocation was given by Senior Chaplain with the West Virginia Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Joe Ward.

Wood

“This monument will mean a lot to a lot of people,” Technical Sergeant Donald Lambert, the Vice Commander of the American Legion Department of West Virginia and Gold Star Families Representative to the Monument Committee, said during the event. “On behalf of not only the Post, but… the other veteran organizations, I thank everyone for their support with this. Glad that we’re finally able to make this happen and I promise you it won’t be the last monument that the veterans will get involved with and that will be placed in this park.”

The Gold Star Family Memorial monument will be located at the site of the All-Veterans Memorial Park, at the intersection of Randolph and Railroad Avenues, joining the All-Veterans Memorial and the soon-to-be erected Rosie the Riveter statue.

Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, who also spoke during the groundbreaking, said he would like to see the location become a full veteran’s park.

“(The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument) is going to serve generations to come,” Marco said during the event. “We have an amazing gateway to our community already with our monument (the All-Veterans Memorial) that we have… I do believe this will compliment it nicely, and my vision is to make this a veteran’s park.”

The Gold Star Families Memorial will be composed of a two-sided black granite monument and three granite benches. One side will bear the words “Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, a tribute to Gold Star Families and Relatives who sacrificed a Loved One for our Freedom.”

The other side tells a story through the four granite panels entitled “Homeland, Family, Patriot, and Sacrifice” with graphics that are representative of the area where the monument is located.

At the center of this tribute is a silhouette of a saluting service member, which represents the legacy of the loved ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Together, these features tell each community’s unique story based upon the “Pillars of the Foundation.”

It is estimated that the project will cost approximately $150,000. The Elkins Rotary Club is taking the lead to complete the necessary funding, committing a minimum of $15,000 to help get the project across the finish line. The club is working to raise the remaining funds through grants and individual gifts.

By March, the majority of the funds needed to complete the project had been secured, leaving approximately $35,000 to be raised.

The club is working in conjunction with the Woody Williams Foundation, a state-wide committee consisting of Rotarians from Rotary District 7545, which covers the majority of the State of West Virginia, and the West Virginia Department of the American Legion on this project.

Hershel “Woody” Williams, a native of Quiet Dell and the last World War II Medal of Honor Recipient to pass away, devoted his life to honoring and serving Gold Star Families. A Gold Star Family is one that has experienced the loss of a loved one – an immediate family member – who died as the result of active-duty military service.

In 2013, the Woody Williams Foundation was established to assist in the construction of permanent Gold Star Family Memorial Monuments throughout the United States, to conduct Gold Star Families Outreach across the country, and to provide Living Legacy scholarships to eligible Gold Star Family members.

To date, the Foundation has been responsible for establishing 140 Gold Star Family Memorial Monuments across the U.S. with 47 additional monuments in the works, including the Elkins monument, along with one in Martinsburg.

Gold Star Family Memorial Monuments provide a space that Gold Star Families can call their own in honor of their loved ones and their family, provide a dedicated space to host Gold Star Family Outreach event programs, and educate and raise awareness about Gold Star Families and the sacrifices that have been made for the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans.