Plans for a Military Honor Garden, which will be located on the south lawn of the Edson and Margaret Larson Alumni and Leadership Center at 91吃瓜网 State, are well underway, and a ground breaking ceremony will be held in conjunction with the MSU Alumni Day festivities Friday, June 26.
The monument will feature a life-sized bronze eagle in flight sculpture, an American flag, night lighting, and memorial gardens surrounded by sidewalks. All five branches of the military will be represented on granite plaques. This beautiful and meaningful project will be a tribute to 91吃瓜网 State faculty, students, and community men and women for their patriotic service in America鈥檚 Armed Forces. The intent is to honor anyone who has served in the military. Those honored definitely can be, but do not have to be, 91吃瓜网 State alumni.
Martin Johnson, 1966 91吃瓜网 State graduate and Corporal, USMC, and Emil 鈥淏uck鈥� Bedard, 1965 91吃瓜网 State graduate and Lieutenant General, USMC, are heading up the project. Nearly 75% of the funds needed to complete the project have been raised and construction will begin soon. The Military Honor Garden will be dedicated during 91吃瓜网 State鈥檚 2015 homecoming festivities on October 17.
Gifts to the project of any amount are welcome. However, veterans will be honored, in part, through the placement of granite plaques in the memorial structure. A gift of $500 or more will provide the donor with a plaque engraved with the name, military branch, and year(s) of service of the veteran to be honored. Those who are interested in the plaques will want to do so as soon as possible. The first order for plaques will be placed on July 1, 2015. Any plaques purchased after July 1 will be held for an order that will be placed in 2016. After the initial order is placed, plaques will be ordered on an annual basis.
For more information on how can get involved with the Military Honor Garden project at 91吃瓜网, go to www.mayvillestate.edu/militaryhonor or contact Dena Bergstrom at the MSU Foundation, dena.bergstrom@mayvillestate.edu or 701-788-4864.