On Monday, Aug. 17 at 11 a.m. in downtown Brunswick there will be an official groundbreaking ceremony for the highly anticipated Veterans Plaza.

Dignitaries for the event range from representatives from area Veterans organizations, office of U. S. Senator Angus King, the town of Brunswick with Todd Richardson, the landscape architect for the project. The special guest speaker will be Captain Debra Couture, USN (ret.) who was one of the first women to serve in a command position in the Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Seabees. Currently she serves as the 1st Vice Commander of the Department of Maine American Legion.

“This special celebration represents the very beginning of the construction of the Veterans Plaza,” remarked David Watson, the Commander of American Legion Post 20, the sponsors of the project, “ while the Veterans Day, 2020 Dedication ceremony represents the formal delivery of a major, and permanent tribute to all veterans of all branches and the Merchant Marine.”

All aspects of these events are designed to conform to State requirements for public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The uniqueness of the Plaza includes 445 individual Honor Blocks sponsored by family and friends that cites their specific veteran, the conflict in which they served or their years of service, and their branch of service. Surrounding the Honor Blocks will be 12 sentinel posts each representing a major conflict or war in which our nation has been involved, along with a special graphic of an American Eagle all complemented by a Purple Heart Memorial.

The 15 member Organizing Committee is greatly encouraged by and appreciative of the strong public and private support of the project has received. By the time of the November 11, 2020 Veterans Day Dedication they will have covered the comprehensive construction, material, and oversight costs now at $386,000 and they will have completed a major downtown improvement related to the Plaza location.

In addition, they will have successfully established a Maintenance Trust, covered all project costs, and are creating a video that will memorialize the mission of the Plaza. This video will be made available to a wide variety of audiences both in Maine, and throughout the United States. Full information on the Veterans Plaza Project is available at veteransplaza.info