Veteran's museum receives donation, more needed

The county's planned Veteran's Memorial Park and Museum got one step closer to construction Monday when a local business made a donation to the cause.

Phillip Shaub, plant manager at Kenwal Steel, visited the courthouse and presented the Wilson County Veteran's Service Office with a check for $10,000, moving the fund closer to the $500,000 goal. Veterans Service Officer Bernie Ash hopes this and other recent donations will inspire more local businesses to step up to the plate.

In addition to donations and fundraising events, veterans, their friends and families or citizens can buy a brick to be incorporated into the courtyard of the museum grounds.

"We're selling bricks for the memorial. Each brick will be inscribed with a veteran's name, rank, branch of service and the date they served or conflict they served in," Ash said. "A veteran can purchase a brick for $100, and others can purchase one for $200."

He said they could be the Christmas gift solution for veterans who have everything — they will never wear out and will stand as a timeless salute to a veteran.

"They can be purchased in honor of or in memory of a veteran," said Don Fox, commander of Lebanon's American Legion Post 15.

"There is plenty of space available for the bricks," Ash added.

Ash's office is working to raise the necessary funds to get construction of the park and museum complex started. It will be built on grounds next door to the county courthouse. Funds are coming in, but a lot more are needed to get started.

"We don't have a completion date yet," Ash said. "This Memorial Day, we'll see where we're at and decide. We set aside a year to raise funds."

He said the architectural plans are in place for the complex, and it would be possible to build the park first and build the museum more slowly, but the goal is to do both at once to keep disruptions to a minimum.

"We want to build the whole thing at once, because we would have to tear up part of the park if we build it first and then start the museum later," Ash said.

Staff writer Mary Hinds may be reached at 615-444-3952, ext. 45 or maryhinds@lebanondemocrat.com.

Vet 1 Photo: Mary Hinds • Lebanon Democrat

Sharing a laugh while waiting for a check presentation to begin are (from left) Don Fox, commander of Lebanon's American Legion Post 15 with Phillip Shaub, plant manager at Kenwal Steel, and Wilson County Veterans Service Officer Bernie Ash. Kenwal Steel's donation brings the planned Veteran's Park and Museum one step closer to construction. 

vet 2 Photo: Mary Hinds • Lebanon Democrat

Standing in front of the Veteran's Memorial Quilt hanging in the courthouse, Phillip Shaub, of Kenwal Steel, hands over a check to Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto to help with the effort to build the county's planned Veteran's Park and Museum. Shown at the ceremony (from left) are Don Fox, commander of Lebanon's American Legion Post 15, Leslie Zeilman with the Vietnam Veterans, Shaub, Hutto, Wilson County Veterans Service Officer Bernie Ash, Assistant Service Officer Carol Dedman and Pat Unger, commander of American Legion 281 in Mt. Juliet.