Every year, the Trigg County Veterans Day Parade and West Cadiz Park celebration brings with it a small-town grace and appreciation of military service, and the sacrifices it requires.
It also, more often than not, comes with news of the next honor or development in the community’s rich history in America’s conflicts, and Tuesday afternoon was no different.
Judge-Executive and event emcee Stan Humphries noted that the Trigg County Veterans Memorial Committee, now 18 months old, has been hard at work looking at the next phases of the “educational experience” project — which sits nestled next to Vinson Cemetery along US 68/80.
With the Fort Campbell Nine properly memorialized and honored, Humphries said a group of local veterans is likely next.
Then, within the next 2-to-3 years, Humphries and committee member Mitzi Thomas-Lawson said a trail is coming on the triangular portion of the property.
Thomas-Lawson noted that Emma Dowell and several other CTC engineering students have been working on designs through AutoCAD. Fundraising efforts are already underway through triggcountyveteransmemorial.com.
Phase 3, she added, will be seating and staging for events like Veterans Day.
Furthermore, Gold Star Mothers supporter and James Thomas Chapter for Daughters of the American Revolution’s Brenda Southwick revealed that both a Gold Star Memorial Blanket and Gold Star Folio have recently been completed thanks to the help of La’Nell Bell and others — each remembering local mothers who have lost children to military service.
This year’s parade Grand Marshal was David Sumner — a classmate of Humphries and more than two-decade servant in the U.S. Navy, who had one of the many hands in Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Operation: Iraqi Freedom.
But perhaps his most important post, he said, was on the U.S.S. George Washington, the 14-story tall aircraft career that patrolled and stood vigil in New York’s harbor in the days following 9/11.
Those before him, Sumner added, paved the way for he and others.
This year’s VFW Teachers of the Year are Annetta Visingardi, Dawne Jokinsky and LaTrita Russell, while “Voice of Democracy” speech winner was Caroline Kosak.
FULL CELEBRATION:
