Silverhill holds Veterans Day ceremony

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 11/20/18

SILVERHILL, Alabama — A Veterans Day ceremony was held Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Veterans War Memorial in Silverhill.

Guest speakers for Saturday’s ceremony were the Rev. Jesse Adams, U.S. Air …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Silverhill holds Veterans Day ceremony

Posted

SILVERHILL, Alabama — A Veterans Day ceremony was held Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Veterans War Memorial in Silverhill.

Guest speakers for Saturday’s ceremony were the Rev. Jesse Adams, U.S. Air Force veteran; and Dave Hitchcock, U.S. Navy Veteran.

God Bless America was performed by Tonya Sterling and Cheryl McMann and Taps was played by Joel Sterling with opening and closing prayers by the Rev. Jason Roth of the First Baptist Church of Silverhill.

A group, called the Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization, a non-profit company, plans to add two 4-foot by 8-foot stones next to the Silverhill Veterans War Memorial, which was dedicated in March of 2017, located in Paul Anderson Park, across from Town Hall at the corner of Alabama 104 and County Road 55 in Silverhill.

Names of veterans from World War II to the present will be placed on both sides of the memorial.

The group is asking for the last name, first and middle initials of the veteran, along with branch of service. Those killed in action would be designated by a star next to their name, and designations could also be added for those Missing In Action (MIA) and Prisoner of War (POW).

Frankie Kucera, organizer for the program, announced Saturday that the group had raised about half of the $30,000 necessary to build the memorial.

To add names to the memorial would cost about $50 to have the name cut into the stone. Veterans and their families from other areas are welcome to have their names added to the memorial for a minimum donation.

Tickets are currently being sold for chances to win two patriotic motorcycles. The drawing will be held during the annual Memorial Day Weekend Car Show in May. A local quilting club has also donated a patriotic quilt to be raffled off and T-Shirts are being sold in partnership with Souvenir City for $15 each.

The towering structure made of polished black granite with etched artwork on both sides was designed by Paul Morris of PM Printing in Summerdale, along with metal “stationary flags” depicting all branches of the military.

The flagpoles were donated by Woodman Life Insurance Co. The concrete work was donated by a veteran, Chris Traughber and the landscaping and finishing work was done by town employees, acting Superintendent of Utilities Scottie Smith, Tommy Moss, Jamie Morton and Justin Matthews.

Plans are to have the additions completed by Veterans Day next year. Kucera said he wanted to thank the Organization for their dedication to the project, including fellow officers Lamar Giles, Oleta Schoolcraft and Shirley Stephens.

If you would like to donate to the project you can mail your contribution to the Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization Inc., P.O. Box 94, Silverhill, AL 36576. You can also donate through the group’s Go Fund Me account online and through the Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization page on Facebook.