Members of the Southern States Millwright Regional Council and the Central South Carpenters Regional Council volunteered to create a tribute to fallen soldiers at the Veterans Memorial Park in Russellville, Arkansas.
Millwrights built and installed the frames for summarization plaques, including the Gold Star exhibit. Carpenters installed about 100 individually named plaques to line the sidewalks of the park.
Many thanks to Edward Wright, former training director for Arkansas/Oklahoma Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Program, and Bryan Spradley, interim training director, millwright instructors Aaron Hall (SFC (R) U.S. Army) and Steve Carr Carpenter and carpenter instructor Lester Weidman. Also assisting were SSMRC journeymen Al Bryan and Tyler Halford (served as a Sergeant in the Army Reserves), and several carpenter and millwright apprentices. These men and women worked efficiently and accurately to create a flawless presentation.
The project was a collaboration with The River Valley Veterans Coalition, which is composed of five local veterans’ organizations: American Legion Post 20; Disabled American Veterans Chapter 27; Marine Corps League, Lake Dardanelle Detachment 1310; Military Officers Association of America River Valley Chapter; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2283.