Vets Memorial receives big boost
Members of the Humboldt Veterans Association, leaders of the development of a veterans’ memorial in Worthington Park honoring Humboldt County veterans and service personnel, graciously accept a $10,000 donation Bank Iowa recently at the bank. Pictured from left: Association members Paul Yost, Dennis Trenary Jr., Dean Ewoldt, David Scholl, Daryle Zwiefel, Bank Iowa Vice President Amy Donahe and Bank Iowa Humboldt Regional President Angie Frerk. Humboldt Independent photo by Kent Thompson.
By KENT THOMPSON
The Humboldt Veterans Memorial Association is ending 2023 on a grand note and is excited to begin 2024 with a final fund drive push to get the campaign across the finish line.
The organization was pleased to announce two large donations to the Veterans Memorial planned at the south edge of Worthington Park. The memorial will be one of the first sights drivers entering from the south on Highway 169 will see.
Every veteran who at one time resided in Humboldt County is eligible to have their name, service organization, and years of service sandblasted on a four-by-eight-inch granite paver. Veterans killed in action will have a darker eight-by-eight-inch paver with the date they were killed in action.
It is important to note that any veteran, alive or deceased, is eligible to be honored at the memorial site. All stones are made in America and cost $140; there are provisions for those who need financial assistance. The board is hoping that they can break ground this coming spring.
The association recently accepted a generous $10,000 donation from Bank Iowa toward the community memorial project. The donation came on the heels of a generous $5,000 donation from the Humboldt American Legion Post No. 119.
“These are two tremendous donations," Daryle Zwiefel, the program’s spokesperson, said. "The Legion has always supported our effort to honor veterans, many of whom are and were members of their organization.
“And Bank Iowa has just been super. We have been using them for our chartable account and they have been a tremendous help in helping us with our financial planning for the project,” Zwiefel said.
“With these two generous donations, that puts us about $19,000 away from our goal ($110,000) to start phase 1 of construction. We have well over 1,000 names and that does not include the 225 Civil War names from the county that will be included,” Zwiefel said.
Zwiefel encourages those making end of the year tax plans to consider a tax-deductible donation to the Humboldt Veterans Memorial, PO Box 111, Humboldt, IA 50548. Checks can be made payable to Humboldt Veterans Memorial. Electronic funds can be sent via Venmo@humboldtvetmemorial
People can see information at the group’s Facebook page at Humboldt Veterans Association. Zwiefel is also available to answer questions at (515) 368-0479.
