VFW project: Veterans sell memorial bricks
Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, June 3, 2014
For those looking to honor the special veterans in their life, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2618 has begun selling bricks to use around the current Lincoln County Veterans Memorial.
The bricks cost $75 and will be sold until spaces are full. Hervey Littlefield, one of the project’s organizers, said the VFW needs to sell 200 to fill the space around the memorial. However, there are potential expansion sites in front of the Lincoln County-Brookhaven Government Complex, which would allow up to 5,000 bricks.
Littlefield said their goal is to have the project completed by this Veterans Day.
“We’re 196 short right now,” he said Saturday morning as the group was working to sell spaces at the Hog Wild BBQ Cookoff and Festival downtown.
The bricks will only be available for Lincoln County veterans but may be bought by any loved one or supporter.
“It’s an opportunity to honor their veteran relatives or themselves,” Littlefield said. “It’s a thing of honor and recognition.”
Littlefield, a Vietnam veteran, said Korean and Vietnam veterans were not welcomed home with the accolades and appreciation of previous veterans. He hopes with this memorial to recognize all those who have served, including those who have were in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It’s a future we’ve got to worry about,” he said, “before we’re another generation behind.”
Littlefield said they are planning to set up several events to try to sell the bricks. They will be holding a cookoff at the VFW at a date to be determined as well as setting up booths downtown and in front of grocery stores.
Littlefield, Derrall Foster and Dell Beal started working on the project last year.
“It’s non-profit,” Littlefield said. “We’re not trying to make money; we’re just trying to self-sustain.”
The veterans memorial currently lists the names of those from Lincoln County who have died while serving in the military.