Departments
Dedication Planned as Veterans Memorial Chapel
Nears Completion
By Leonard Skonecki
Memorial Day will be a D-Day of sorts in Fostoria; "D" for the dedication of the Veterans Memorial Chapel.
Several decisions were made regarding the Memorial Day dedication ceremony at the group's meeting in the chapel this past Tuesday.
The dedication will take place at 9 a.m. on Memorial Day, one hour before the commencement of the regular Memorial Day program.
Danny Opperman will sing "Star Spangled Banner" and the Fostoria Community Band will play.
Civil War re-enactors will fire a ceremonial artillery salute and Mayor John Davoli and the commanders of the four veterans posts will speak.
The Veterans Chapel Committee, city officials and the contractors will also be recognized.
The Veterans Memorial Chapel Committee will also be recognized.
The Veterans Memorial Chapel Committee also discussed the progress of the chapel, which is rapidly nearing completion.
Miles Overholser of Miles Sign Co., explained several options for placing the emblems of the AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America , Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion on the interior north wall. The size and arrangement of the circular emblems, which range from 24 to 42 inches in diameter, will be decided after consultation with the contractor regarding lighting on the wall.
The concrete apron adjacent to the chapel is complete. The committee was assured that the drainage will not effect the memorial and commemorative pavers which will also be in that area.
The committee agreed to allocate $4,000 for the installation of the sand bed and pavers. There is room for 2,000 pavers.
There was a discussion of the possibility of replacing the Fountain Cemetery podium either this summer or spring 2005. The masonry has begun to show its age. A new podium could make use of extra stone left over from the chapel construction so the two structures would match.
The committee also agreed to purchase some paint and supplies
for two volunteers who have stepped forward to clean and refurbish
the two artillery pieces that sit on either side of the podium.
Mel Schreiner will make a lectern and funeral bier for the chapel
interior at a substantial discount. The wood will match that used
for chapel rafters.
The committee also learned that someone has asked if the chapel can be used for small wedding ceremonies. The committee will consider that suggestion.
The possibility of a small fee for using the chapel was discussed. Currently there is a fee to set up a tent on the grave-site. The fee would be placed in a fund for the chapel's maintenance.
Fund raising for the chapel is still underway, with veterans posts donating the proceeds from their charitable fund-raising to the chapel fund.