Every year around this time the Fallen Heroes Benefit Committee starts meeting and planning for the annual Pork Dinner, to be held this July 23rd. This year it was brought to the attention of the committee that the LaBelle Veteran’s Park is experiencing a terrible deterioration of the bricks engraved and in place in the park.

Many phone calls have been received at the American Legion asking about the bricks. The caretakers of the park are genuinely concerned and obviously want to make this a priority to get these Veterans names back up in public view, to be honored and remembered respectfully.

Many of the bricks are eight years old, and some are just few years old and still fading quickly. Over the last few years the Veterans in care of the park have repaired and replaced several bricks, but it is becoming clear that this is not the solution. At the rate of the deterioration the park will take a huge loss, and it still is not a solution to future years.

The final outcome was decided to replace the bricks with a granite wall and engrave the names of all the veteran’s bricks currently in the park. Future engravings to happen at periodical times as memorial / names and donations are accrued.

The LaBelle Veteran’s Park is a work in progress and will continue to be molded and shaped to honor our hometown heroes. Remembering the Veterans of our community and our families is the whole meaning behind the park. They ask for your patience as they move forward and your continued help and commitment to making this center piece of our community a meaningful place to honor our Veterans.