10/27/05: Iraq Memorial In Search Of New Home - Marty Preston

Iraq Memorial In Search Of New Home

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: 11A

Thursday, October 27, 2005
Marty Preston Wisconsin Dells

Dear Editor: On Wednesday, with sadness, we dismantled the Arlington Midwest Memorial in Lake Delton that honors the soldiers from Wisconsin and Illinois who have died in Iraq. Those of us who had become accustomed to seeing it and working with it every day are already feeling the gap in our hearts.

The owner of the land wanted to do some work on it before winter, and since we had already decided to close it down during the cold season, we decided not to place it anywhere else right now. And besides, we do not have another place at the moment.

Come next spring we will be looking at all of this again. Some folks have wanted to establish a more permanent memorial, with the names, perhaps, on a bronze plaque. We could find a place to install a plaque per year so that at the end of the year we could add a new one. Or we could relocate the crosses to a more permanent location. We don't know.

But we are very open to ideas. None of us -- including Bert and Pearl Sylvander, Hiroshi and Arlene Kanno, Mary and Harvey Larson, Debbie and Jim Kinder and myself, all from the Dells area -- wants to see the memorial fade out of existence. From the comments left at the site and the communication we have had from the families themselves, it is of immense importance to everyone that these fallen soldiers not be forgotten. The families will never truly recover from the permanency of that loss, and their country should make sure their lives have a place of honor in our minds -- forever.

If anyone has an idea about a location (accessible to the general public but not in a spot that might cause traffic problems) or how we should continue this memorialization, I would welcome a contact. My phone number is 254-1126, and my e-mail is ArlingtonMidwest@yahoo.com.

It is an honor to participate in this dedication to the loyal men and women who have had their lives cut short. I hope everyone will remember them with gratitude and love.