Local veterans, students, and community members came together on Wednesday to celebrate the next phase of the Parsons Pathways to Freedom Project. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in the basement of the Municipal Building due to rain.
Economic Development Director Jim Zaleski was the master of ceremonies for the event and welcomed attendees.
“As you know, surrounding this building are different wars that are memorialized,” Zaleski said, acknowledging the Spirit of the American Doughboy statue, which memorializes World War I, on the corner of Main and 17th. Of the new Veterans Memorial, Zaleski said: “This is going to be something that the entire city region can be proud of.”
The Pathways to Freedom Project Board was recognized. Those members include: Carl Johnson, Bruce Rea, Jennifer Eichinger, Darren Eichinger, Steve Ray, Marvin Robinson, and Jim Kutz. Also joining the board from the City of Parsons were City Manager Jeff Cantrell and Mayor Kevin Cruse.
“This would not be possible without the vision of one man who called me far too often after 5 o’clock,” Zaleski said with a chuckle, before presenting a golden shovel to Johnson. The shovel was signed by attendees to commemorate this day and his work toward bringing this project to life.
“We’re glad to finally get started. It’s been six years coming,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t be here without Bruce, Jim, and the class. They’ve brought the design and everything about the memorial together.”
Also in attendance were nearly 70 students from USD 503. Parsons High School students have been involved in the project for several years. Some have participated in building a three-quarter scale Humvee, which has been worked on by Parsons students for nearly 20 years. The Humvee has been donated to Pathways to Freedom and will be auctioned off to help fund the memorial. The molds used to make the Humvee will also included with the vehicle.
See VETERANS, Page 5.
Other students have been part of a collaborative design process, with Bruce Rea’s Computer-Aided Design class developing the preliminary designs in collaboration with the Pathways to Freedom group and City staff. Students have also built the iron colonnades, which will be featured, framing the five pathways of the memorial. Industry professionals from Duocommun and CST Industries have also worked with the students on aspects of the project.
“I like projects that have a lot of community involvement — these high school kids, and the local industries, and all these people from all walks of life,” Kutz said. “It takes longer, but you get more ideas, and everyone has ownership in the project.”
Kutz said over the years the design has changed, but the spirit of collaboration and the give-and-take of ideas has been continuously strong.
In addition to the colonnades, the memorial will also feature an I-beam, which will bear the phrase “In honor of all who served,” Granite pedestals and plaques dedicated to each branch of the armed services, cast medallions of each military seal, and the flags of each military branch.
The memorial is planned for the north lawn of the Municipal Building and will be built in three phases. The first phase will include the pouring of concrete footings and foundations for all the memorial elements, installation of the columns, I-beam, flag poles, and installation of the granite pedestals. The second phase will include pouring the concrete sidewalks and pathways nd the last phase will address all remaining lighting and the laying of the granite pavers in honor of and in memory of veterans.
Commemorative pavers can be purchased and engraved with the name of a company, organization, or the name of a veteran to be honored.
Steve Ray said he was very excited the project was coming together, but noted that more financial help from donors would be needed to complete the project.
Marvin Robinson said the memorial will be a wonderful thing for the community.
“To be a Parsonian right now, this makes any Parsonian Proud,” Mayor Kevin Cruse said. “From the inception, the thought, the concept, and where we are today, it took a lot of individuals, a lot of organizations, and a lot of entities within Parsons to make this dream a reality.”
For more information about the Parsons Pathways to Freedom project, call 620-6058888 or visit https://www.parsonsareacf.org.
