Cleanup crew storms Veterans Park

Rejuvenation takes place with volunteers

Veterans Memorial Park, the green space in the heart of Lorain, was rejuvenated through the work of a group of volunteers who came out ready to work.

On Aug. 23, at least two dozen people pulled weeds, planted flowers, trimmed vegetation, generally cleaned up and rebuilt the benches lining the concrete walls around the city’s central monument for veterans. The park sits at the corner of West Erie and Washington avenues in Lorain, across the street from City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave.

The nonprofit group Veterans Who Care spearheaded the effort, with help from Lorain County

erans, Team Depot volunteers from Lorain’s Home Depot store, Mason Landscaping, the city of Lorain and residents who came out.

“I got the news that they needed some help; I figured, why not?” said Kevin Cruz, 36, of Lorain. “It’s always good to have a helping hand.”

Team Depot members brought power saws and tools to tear out the wood planks that formed benches along part of the monument.

Some of the wood was colored green from age and moisture, some was scorched black from fire.

Within two hours, it was removed, and the only ones who seemed to mind were hornets that nested underneath the boards.

“It could have used some TLC before,” said Joe Harkless, Team Depot volunteer.

Harkless also lives in Lorain and has visited the park with his children.

“The boards are rotten, of course, but that’s why we’re out here,” he said. “We’ll get it back into shape.”

Harkless added his brother and grandfather are veterans and they appreciate the effort.

The park “has been around here forever,” he said.

“It’s time for a reboot for the community,” Harkless said. “I’m glad we’re doing this.”

A few weeks ago, Craig A. Lukes, trustee of Veterans Who Care, came to the store to get paint and materials for the project, said Lorain Home Depot manager Scott Sypniewski.

In doing so, Lukes enlisted the help of Team Depot. “He was surprised, and this is something we love: helping out the community,” Sypniewski said.

“Honestly, I was thrilled,” said Susan Burge, a Team Depot member and retired Lorain teacher. “I was excited to come out. I was going to come whether (Team Depot) came or not.”

The group had wood, screws and carriage bolts to rebuild the seats.

Other volunteers ran weed trimmers and leaf blowers. Some dug up the dead plants and replaced them with fresh decorative flowers and bushes.

Volunteer Karl Sherck, an Army veteran from Amherst, wielded a wrecking bar to tear into the wood benches.

Sherck said his goal was simple: to help.

“I believe in helping for the veterans and everybody else,” he said.

RICHARD PAYERCHIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL Team Depot volunteer Josh Blevins, a Home Depot supervisor, works to remove bolts from the bench brackets along the wall of Lorain’s Veterans Memorial Park.

RICHARD PAYERCHIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL From left, Army veterans Denver Limer, Ray Tate and Anthony Lucas deliver mulch to a planter on the wall of Lorain’s Veterans Memorial Park as part of a cleanup effort on Aug. 23. The volunteer effort included planting flowers, pulling weeds and...