White Haven honored its veterans and dedicated a new veterans monument at ceremonies on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The ceremony was co-sponsored by White Haven Borough, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6615, White Haven, and the Marine Corps League, White Haven, Detachment 1039.
Appropriately, the ceremony began at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 with Audrey Wood Karnatski, a member of the Dixie Duo Band, offering a stirring rendition of the National Anthem. Karnatski also closed the ceremony with “God Bless America.”
Master of ceremonies was Melissa Dimmitt, commander of VFW Post 6615, White Haven. Guest speaker was state Sen. David Argall (R-29). Paul Mendofik, commandant of Marine Corps League Detachment 1039. offered remarks.
Dimmitt, who thanked everyone involved in supporting the new monument located on the borough building grounds, read the poem, “It is the Veteran.”
Mendofik, a Marine veteran and retired Pennsylvania State Police commander, posed the question “Why?” to the crowd assembled for the ceremony. “Why do people in the prime of their life step forward and take an oath?” he asked. “Why do they go to foreign lands and places they often never heard of? Why do they sleep in fighting holes, in barracks or in trucks? Why do they dread and look forward to the day their service is over?” The answer, Mendofik offered, “Because they are patriots.”
The monument, made of premium jet-black polished granite, was manufactured by The Monument Warehouse, Elberton Ga. The granite was laser-cut to show designs picked out by the monument committee with porcelain emblems on the base and around the flag in the center. More than $16,000 was raised in the White Haven community to pay for the cost of the monument. The last piece is the original eagle that flew on top of the old honor roll which is being restored in gold. Once it is finished, it will be flying over the monument on a black powder-coated pole.
Borough Manager Linda Szoke noted the project has been in the works for several years.
“It was wonderful to see it finally be dedicated to our veterans,” she commented.
