Elkins City Council supports Gold Star project

ELKINS — Elkins City Council has approved giving a $500 donation to support the construction of the Elkins Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at the All-Veterans Memorial Park.

The donation, according to council’s resolution, will “be made in recognition of the enduring gratitude owed to the families of fallen service members, and as a sign of the city’s commitment to honoring their sacrifice.” The monument is meant to honor families who have lost a loved one in the line of service, also known as Gold Star Families.

Before the vote, during City Council’s May 15 meeting, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco explained to the council that Dan McCarthy, the District Governor of Rotary Club District 7545, wanted the city to have “some skin in the game” when it comes to the project.

McCarthy, Marco said, pledged to personally match a $500 donation by the City of Elkins for a total donation of $1,000. The donation would see the City of Elkins be listed as a Bronze Donor in the project.

“It’s going to be very impressive,” Marco said. “They try to make these monuments unique to the area that they’re in. So, it will be Elkins and Randolph County specific, so I’m very excited.”

Marco told the council that the official unveiling of the monument will be July 5.

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.

During the official groundbreaking on April 10, Marco 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.

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.