The Tyrone Veterans Memorial Park Committee would like to invite the public to the dedication of Tyrone Veterans Memorial Park May 25 at 1 p.m.

The dedication ceremony will include United States Army Reserve Command Honor Guard, national, state and local elected officials, Doris Russell Dance Studio and other entertainment. Keynote speaker is highly decorated Colonel Don Dickerson.

The Tyrone Town Council voted to set up a committee to design a veterans park and change the name of Triangle Park and re-name it to Veterans Memorial Park in November 2008.

The current Triangle Park plaque will be placed near the gazebo as the committee appreciates those businesses who originally made donations to Triangle Park.

The committee held their first meeting in November and the following is a portion of their mission statement and project description.

This memorial park is designed to help foster a common understanding of the sacrifices and uncommon dedication given by veterans and their families; to convey to every soul that enters the Tyrone Veteran’s Park a sense of the total commitment given by these men and women of past conflicts and in peacetime; to provide, through a self-paced and self-guided tour in the park setting, the opportunity for the public to reflect that the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of the United States of America today have been preserved by unselfish acts depicted on a series of memorial bricks. All the sacrifices to forever etch in the minds of our future leaders that freedom does not come free, but only at an expensive price including the ultimate price.”

The project design will include an American flag surrounded by each branch of service flag, and a POW/MIA flag. Red roses in the park represent the blood shed by all. “Buddy” silhouette represents a soldier praying for all his buddies.

The current veterans monument located at the police department will be placed next to “Buddy.” In the fall, white azaleas, which represent the tears shed, will be placed in the park .

Memorial bricks may be purchased for $30 and the form can be downloaded at www.tyrone.org. For additional information, contact Grace Caldwell at 678-364-0193.

Grace Caldwell

Tyrone, Ga.

[Mrs. Caldwell currently serves on the Tyrone Town Council.]

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