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Silver Lake leaders want to construct veterans memorial at village hall

Akron Beacon Journal - 9/18/2021

SILVER LAKE — Leaders are hoping to put up a veterans memorial in front of village hall along Kent Road a year from now.

Mayor Bernie Hovey said he and others involved with the effort would like to have a dedication ceremony for the memorial on Sept. 11, 2022. If that deadline cannot be met, the program would happen on Veterans Day of 2022, according to Hovey.

Some early discussion of the project occurred at an initial meeting of the Veterans Memorial Committee Sept. 10.

"We all want a simple, but elegant and moving, memorial," Hovey said.

Village Council on Sept. 7 approved authorizing the mayor to collect and expend funds for the construction of the memorial.

Hovey told council the village would accept contributions for the memorial using the same process they utilized for collecting funds for the centennial events in 2018.

Anyone wishing to donate should make the check out to the village of Silver Lake and write "Veterans Memorial" on the memo line, according to Hovey.

Checks can either be dropped off at village hall or be mailed to village hall, c/o Mayor Bernie Hovey at 2961 Kent Road, Silver Lake 44224.

Hovey said the village is trying to identify all veterans who live in the village, have previously lived in the village or who are sons and daughters of Silver Lake residents. The village is collecting the names of people who are currently serving, as well as those who have completed service.

"I am asking for names of veterans only to compile a record/book/log of all who are living or have lived in Silver Lake and who have served our country in the military," Hovey said. "Perhaps this log will one day be available for viewing at the memorial."

Information can be emailed to Hovey at bhovey@villageofsilverlake.com, and should include name, rank, branch of service and dates of service.

The veterans memorial planned in front of village hall will replace an anti-aircraft military 90mm gun that was removed in June at the village's request by a Cuyahoga Falls man who said he is interested in preserving history.

More: Veterans memorial may be built in front of Silver Lake Village Hall

Hovey previously said he did not think village hall was the proper location for the military weapon.

"It did not seem appropriate to me to have an artillery gun displayed so prominently at village hall, especially now when gun violence appears to be on the rise in our country," Hovey said.

Kim Pigman, bookkeeper and administrative secretary for the village, said she spoke with some veterans' organizations that wanted the gun, but did not have enough funding available to remove it from the site and relocate it.

Cuyahoga Falls resident John Drumm said he learned about the village trying to remove the gun through people he knew at an area museum. He noted he helped broker a deal to have the gun relocated to that museum, but the arrangement fell through due to a lack of available funds.

In mid-June, Drumm said he and his nephew Jeff paid a company to remove the gun and transport it to an undisclosed location in Portage County.

Drumm added he is working on setting up a display of the gun and said he would soon reveal the location.

Reporter Phil Keren can be reached at pkeren@thebeaconjournal.com, or on Twitter at @keren_phil.

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