By Cathy McKenzie, WSU Mount Vernon
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – Veterans will be honored and the 100th anniversary of World War I commemorated at a public ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, in the Discovery Garden at Washington State University Mount Vernon, 16650 State Route 536 (Memorial Highway).
The war began July 28, 1914, and the ceremony “was planned in conjunction with other 9/11 events to celebrate the lives of veterans,” said Rich Sundance, a retired U.S. Navy chief who is commander of the Disabled American Veterans’ outpatient clinic in Mount Vernon.
The event will be led by Mayor Jill Boudreau and is sponsored by the nonprofit Veteran Monument Project.
The project, which is restoring six memorial locations in the Skagit Valley, in 2008 placed the WWI veterans memorial just west of the WSU research center in the public garden maintained by WSU Extension master gardener volunteers.
“We are honored to have the memorial housed here,” said research center director Steve Jones. “It is our responsibility to not let these brave souls be forgotten.”
“This whole monument restoration process has instilled new life in many of the old-timer veterans who have helped clean up our local gravestones, markers and monuments,” Sundance said. “It’s a real heartfelt thing to do.”
Contacts:
Steve Jones, WSU Mount Vernon, 360-416-5210, joness@wsu.edu
Rich Sundance, Disabled American Veterans, 360-420-4046,
richardsundance@comcast.net
