Mill Creek breaks ground on veterans memorial

Published 9:48 pm Wednesday, November 11, 2009

MILL CREEK — Two years ago, Chuck Wright and his wife visited historic sites in Boston, stopping to see military graves.

Wright, who served in the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1966, said he was moved by what he saw in Boston.

“Every gravesite had flags,” he said. “I thought, if they can do that, we can do it, too.”

Back home in Mill Creek, he told the City Council what he’d seen and urged city officials to consider developing a veterans memorial.

Councilwoman Donna Michelson was so moved by his story she persuaded fellow council members to have the city’s Arts and Beautification Board look more closely into options for a memorial.

“I was truly touched,” Michelson said Wednesday, during a Veterans Day groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial at Library Park.

The new memorial, which will include a flagpole on a raised base, should be finished in time for a Memorial Day dedication in May, city manager Tim Burns said.

The city budgeted $40,000 for the project.

“Too often, we don’t think of our veterans,” said veteran Ron Millard of Mill Creek, who said he had to show up for the groundbreaking after hearing about it. “I think it’s really important that we don’t forget about them.”

Speakers included Michael Reagan, a portrait artist who, through his Fallen Heroes Project, has donated free portraits of soldiers killed while serving; Mill Creek Mayor Terry Ryan; state Sen. Steve Hobbs; Cmdr. Daniel Limberg of Naval Station Everett; and Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick.

Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com