KUDOS: Restored memorial: ‘pillar of  honor and a beacon of hope’

To Ozaukee Press:

Anyone who has not ventured recently out to Coal Dock Park and viewed the newly restored Pillar of Honor Veterans Memorial should certainly do so in the coming weeks before the winter snows cover it.

The memorial site has been completely restored thanks to the efforts of local resident Mike Keller, who spearheaded and coordinated the volunteer effort from the fundraising to the rededication with the assistance of Wendy “Kiki” Braam of Friends of Port Washington Parks & Rec, and just in time for this Veterans Day. 

Countless days and hours of behind-the-scenes work were involved in the planning, organizing, fundraising, coordinating, inspection and inventorying of bricks, ordering of new and replacement memorial bricks and installation of new electrical service and lighting. 

This involved ensuring that the original memorial bricks were returned to their previous locations and arranging for fresh highlighting of the “WISCONSIN” lettering on the pillar. 

Many residents attended the wonderful rededication ceremony held last Saturday.

Port Washington can be extremely proud of this unique veterans memorial that, as a result of the restoration work, will, to quote Mike’s rededication remarks, “continue to stand as a pillar of honor and a beacon of hope, reminding us that freedom is never free, and that the sacrifices of our veterans will never be forgotten.”  

A sincere thank you is due to everyone who contributed or participated in any way to the success of this project.

Lize Keller

Port Washington