WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Families Unveil Vt. Memorial Plans

Families Unveil Vt. Memorial Plans

Randolph, Vermont - November 11, 2009

On Veterans Day people pause to honor soldiers. For Nicole Poulin of Barre that means visiting the Veterans Memorial Cemetery where her father, a Vietnam vet, is buried.

"It gives me a chance to remember good times with him and also remember what he really believed in, but it makes me miss him just the same," Poulin said.

The pain of losing a soldier is still fresh for Marion Gray. Her son Sgt. Jamie Gray died when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2004.

"It's nice to have a place to go; a sense of being closer to them," Marion Gray said.

And that's why Gray and others who lost a soldier want to build a memorial here to honor both those who served and died in the Global War on Terror.

"It's the most fitting location," Gray said. "It's a state tribute to our boys-- final recognition."

The Vermont Fallen Families unveiled a new memorial Tuesday, set to be built at the entrance of the Veterans Cemetery. The memorial will be made out of Vermont Granite. So far 36 soldiers have died and their names will be listed-- and so will any future Vermonters who die in the war zone.

"It's important with this recent deployment to let the citizens of the state of Vermont and the families know that the state cares... and they will make certain the boys' service and in some cases the ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten," Gray said.

Kristen Merchant's dad died in Iraq in 2006.

"It's a nice thing to do because they did do a lot-- they risked everything," she said.

The group plans to break ground this spring and have the memorial finished by next Veterans Day. Nicole Poulin plans to visit-- her son's father is getting ready to deploy.

"I think anything to recognize what our veterans have done for us. Whether they are new ones or the old ones," she said.

The memorial will cost $350,000. So far the Gold Star families have raised about half of that through private donations. Click here for more information.

Kristin Carlson - WCAX News