LJWorld.com / Memorial pays due to county's heroes

Archive for Sunday, July 4, 2004

500 attend dedication ceremony

July 4, 2004

When he came home from Army service in World War II 60 years ago, Alan Fisher went back to work and got on with his life.

"When we came home, nobody expected there would be a memorial," recalled Fisher, a past commander of Lawrence's American Legion post. "Nobody thought about it."

That changed Saturday with dedication of the Douglas County Memorial of Honor, a tribute to the service of the community's soldiers, sailors, police and firefighters -- including more than 430 Douglas Countians who have died in the line of duty since the Civil War.

"This memorial was designed to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom and safety of our country and community," said Erv Hodges, a former Lawrence mayor who spearheaded the project.

An estimated 500 people attended the dedication at the Lawrence Visitor Center in North Lawrence, a site chosen for the memorial because it was the depot where many enlistees and draftees caught trains bound for war.

The centerpiece is a 19-foot sculpture created by Lawrence artist Jim Brothers. Called "From the Ashes," the sculpture depicts a half-man, half-phoenix rising from flames. It is at the center of a circle of concrete benches, before an American flag.

The sculpture, Hodges said, shows "man can rise above conflict to create a better world."

Attendees gave Brothers a standing ovation. He, in turn, said the memorial was borne of broad community support and effort; more than 250 local residents made donations to pay the $200,000 cost of the memorial.

"It came from the heart," Brothers said.

"From the Ashes," a statue honoring the service of the community's soldiers, sailors, police and firefighters, dominates the skyline at the Lawrence Visitor Center, 402 N. Second St., as Lawrence Police Officer Vince Casagrande stands at attention. About 500 people turned out for the statue's dedication Saturday.

Mayor Mike Rundle accepted the gift of the memorial on behalf of the city of Lawrence. In 2000, he was the lone vote against allowing the memorial at the site, a debate that was more about aesthetics than the propriety of the memorial itself.

That all seemed forgotten Saturday, however, as Rundle praised the sculpture as a "great success."

"It captures the fierce struggle of our community at the beginning and throughout our history," he said.

The ceremony included an honor guard from the Lawrence Police Department and color guards from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Civil Air Patrol, American Legion and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical.

Don McDow, another past Legion commander, said the memorial would draw visitors to the city.

"I think this is one of the finest things that has happened to the Lawrence community," McDow said.

The ceremony culminated with the crowd singing, a cappella, "God Bless America," then the playing of taps.

During the ceremony, Hodges called on veterans to rise and be recognized. More than 100 men and women stood up.

"Did you ever," Hodges asked, "see so many heroes in one spot?"