By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Veterans Memorial Park in Great Bend has it all: tennis courts, ball diamonds, a walking trail, a lake, disc golf, and a dog park. It's easy to forget then, that the park is a memorial for veterans. Veteran Larry Parsons said a group of local Vietnam veterans with boots-on-the-ground experience are trying to add to the memorial portion of the park.
"We have a site selected, as you go in, right to the left, right inside where the parade of flags is flying," he said. "We have been working with B&B Metal out of Hoisington to come up with something."
Right now the project is just in the exploratory stage, but Parsons feels sure something will be done. A fundraiser may be planned down the road, but the group is already taking donations.
"It's going to be kind of expensive," said Parsons. "We're going to be using metal, and those things aren't cheap."
Bruce and Brent Bitter started B & B Metal Arts in 1995. B&B has created 9/11 Memorials that were placed in several Kansas airports, designed a memorial for the Salina Municipal Airport, made the structure at the entrance of the Great Bend Sports Complex, and recently created the large police badge for the new Great Bend Justice Center.
Any veterans with ideas about the new memorial, or anyone wishing to donate, can contact Parsons at (620) 617-5676.