With input from Herb Brockert and Steve Napolitano

On a small parcel of land near Blair Square, the long-anticipated Veterans Monument honoring those deployed in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars is taking shape. Nowhere in town are these veterans recognized and appreciated for their service.  Ever since roughly 2008 the idea for such a monument has been bantered about, and the time for action has come.  Steve Napolitano, Ron Turcotte and Stan Feinberg took the nub of an idea and developed it into a buildable project. 

A project of this scope needs many individuals to step up and lend their skills.  Herb Brockert Construction Services of Holliston and Peter Koshivaki of Koshivaki Contractors of Holliston, manned their excavating machines and prepared the site.  East Coast Crushing and Recycling of Medfield supplied the crushed gravel for leveling the area, and the long-awaited monument started to take shape.

Vinny D’Eramo, D’Eramo Masonry of Holliston added his masonry skills designing and laying the brickwork. Vinny spent endless hours defining the surface area for the monument.  The center piece would be a circular granite slab engraved with the emblems of all five branches of the military. Dave Burrows of Ackerman Monument Company of Holliston supported the effort with precision engraving of the veterans’ names on the black granite stone imported from India.  Dauphinais Concrete of Bellingham donated a portion of the concrete for the monument base. Signage for the project was the handiwork of Ross Tomkins, Star Sign of Holliston.

Things came together like a large puzzle waiting to be assembled.  Before engraving could be done, each veteran’s name was researched and vetted to verify the accuracy of service records.  This tedious task was conducted with the aid of the Veterans Services Officers, Sarah Bateman, John DeSousa and John Givner. 

Landscaping in the spring will add another layer of character to this monument.  Mark Ahronian, Ahronian Landscape and Design of Holliston, has been instrumental with procuring plants and designing their placement at the monument.  This will all come in the spring along with appropriate illumination.  Tom Chipman of Chipman Electric Company of Holliston assisted with the lighting design and made the necessary underground electrical supply connections for the future lighting of the monument.

State Representative Carolyn Dykema and Senator Karen Spilka joined forces to advocate for a $30,000 state grant along with $11,000 in local donations and brick sales and $5,000 from the local Gulf II Fund.  The American Legion Post 47 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8507 pledged up to $25,000 to be used if needed to complete the monument project.  Many hands are playing major and minor roles and will continue until this well-deserved monument is complete.  The expected completion date is Spring 2022, (weather permitting).

This monument reminds us that freedom is precious and often requires sacrifice. Thank you to all veterans for your service to our country.