10th anniversary celebration set for Veterans Memorial

Organizers of the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Garland County Veterans Memorial and Military Park, set for Friday, plan to honor the people who helped make the memorial a reality.

Veterans Memorial Committee member Tom Wilkins said numerous celebrations over the years have honored a number of different people, but none have really honored the people whose hard work brought the memorial into existence.

The “biggest thing” is to “try to honor all the people who have been on our committees,” Wilkins said.

“We will recognize them, we will announce their names.” He noted those members still alive will then have a group

picture made.

Wilkins said that they are hoping for a large crowd at the celebration. “Since this is our 10th, we want to make this the biggest and best celebration,” he said.

The event will also feature several guests and groups, including the Hot Springs High School Band, HSHS ROTC and the Fun City Chorus. The keynote speaker will be Maj. Gen. Kendall Penn. The Arkansas National Guard’s website states Penn assumed duties as the adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard on Aug. 10 and is responsible for commanding the Arkansas Air and Army National Guard.

Wilkins, along with fellow board members Dick Antoine and Richard Green, said they have supported the memorial for a variety of reasons. “It just makes sense,” Antoine said. Wilkins said he and Antoine were originally brought into the Veterans Memorial Committee to help raise funds.

Over the last 10 years, the memorial, located at 118 Orange St. near the Hot Springs Farmers & Artisans Market, has had a number of things added, including a propeller from a Navy ship, a tank, several benches and a statue of U.S. Navy Seal Team SIX member Adam Brown.

Green said the park where the memorial is located is not finished. “It’s ongoing, something’s added to it every year,” Green said. “We don’t want to clog it up, but we think it’s really starting to take on a life of its own.”