By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
One goal with the new Vietnam memorial at Veterans Park in Great Bend was to have it installed by Veterans Day. The work may not be 100 percent completed on Monday, Nov. 11, but it will be close. Vietnam Veteran Gary Burke said the first of two ceremonies begins at 11 a.m. Monday at the Avenue of Flags on the east side of Vets Park.
"The high school band will be there," he said. "They will play some songs: The Star-Spangled Banner, the anthems for each one of the military branches and some things like that. (VFW State Inspector) Brandon Kultgen will say a few words, then Sen. Roger Marshall will speak."
The first ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes, then attendees will walk just a few steps to the west for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Vietnam memorial. Burke and Marshall will speak before Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Megan Barfield and the Chamber Ambassadors cut the ribbon.
"This memorial is a great, great memorial," said Burke. "There's not going to be another one like it in the country."
The $120,000 memorial was paid for by private donations and was constructed by B&B Metal Arts in Hoisington. The 50-foot-wide base was installed on the north side of Veterans Lake in late October. The Vietnam-era chopper atop the base will be added sometime before Veterans Day.