Politics & Government

Order Bricks for Portage Veterans Memorial

Deadline for orders is Sept. 25

The deadline for placing new orders for bricks and pavers to be placed at the Portage County Veterans Memorial is Tuesday, Sept. 25.

The bricks will be in place for the County Veterans Day program. Bricks can be purchased in the name of a veteran, or in memory of a veteran or in the name of a current member of the armed forces. Bricks can also be purchased by groups or individuals that will read “in honor of all Portage County Veterans.”

The 8 x 8 size bricks are $100 and the 12 x 12 clay pavers are $250. The 12 x 12 pavers are also available in granite for $1,000. The Veterans Memorial, located in front of the county Courthouse on Main St. in Ravenna, was dedicated on Nov. 11, 2007. Four hundred and fifty bricks, pavers and memorial benches were installed at that time and another 411 have been installed since the original dedication.

The Portage County Veterans’ memorial was made possible through a $72,000 grant from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, sponsorship by the Portage County Board of Commissioners, the taxpayers, and through generous donations from many individuals, businesses, veterans organizations, cities, townships, villages and community organizations. The Veterans Memorial Task Force, the City of Ravenna and the Veterans Service Commission actively participated in the creation of the memorial. Installation continues to be managed by Hummel Construction with engraving coordinated by Portage
Marble and Granite.

The design philosophy of for the memorial is: The memorial plaza abstractly symbolizes the American National Bird; the Bald Eagle. The five smaller monuments, spaced out upon the wings of the Bald Eagle, are representations of soldiers and the branches of the armed services for which they served: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard with the appropriate insignia and flag of the branch it represents. The main monument, at the head of the Bald Eagle, abstractly represents a commanding officer leading the soldiers, the smaller monuments, into battle. Inscribed upon it is the “Lest we Forget”. These three elements create a place where visitors can walk amongst the soldiers and contemplate, reflect and thank the soldiers for the service that they have given and the freedom they have protected. The Veterans’ Medal of Honor Plaque is also permanently installed and the U.S., Prisoner of War, Ohio and Portage County flags fly over the memorial.


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