Wapella honors veterans

Gordon Woods
Posted 9/23/20

After more than two years of fundraising, planning and construction, Wapella residents dedicated the village’s Wapella Veterans Wall of Honor on Sunday.

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Wapella honors veterans

Posted

WAPELLA — After more than two years of fundraising, planning and construction, Wapella residents dedicated the village’s Wapella Veterans Wall of Honor on Sunday.

The Friends of Wapella Veterans group began giving the village board progress reports early in the project in 2018, and by the end of 2019, footings and electrical work for the memorial was completed.

Bryan Atwood, of the Friends group, presided over Sunday’s ceremonies, attended by a substantial, socially-distanced crowd.  An honor guard was present to present the colors and function as firing squad.

Todd Castleberry, American Legion commander in Georgetown, delivered the key address on Sunday.

“I have some friends who live here in Wapella and in the LeRoy area,” Castleberry said.  “I’m very humbled to be here today.

Castleberry said it was impressive that a community of roughly 560 people could erect a memorial containing some 350 names.

“That says a lot about a town,” he said.  “It speaks to its character; it speaks to its spirit of patriotism.”

Atwood, Maxine Schwartz and Penny Nichols led the Friends group through the project, along with many other volunteers.  Atwood expressed thanks for the many hours volunteers worked to make the memorial possible as well as the contractors who handled construction and the donors.