Norton Veterans Park update: dedication moved to July 4; organizers report about $120,000 raised

Norton City Council heard an update May 21 on the Norton Veterans Park memorial project, including a timetable change, fundraising totals and design challenges, a steering-committee member said.

Dennis, a member of the Veterans Memorial steering committee, told the council the memorial dedication was moved to July 4 after granite for the military monuments was delayed on a container ship. "It is now in The United States. It is not at Summit Memorials yet, but it is in The United States," Dennis said. He said the patio and sidewalk work will be completed in time for the July 4 dedication, but a planned etched-granite mural has been postponed to next year because the community decided the wall needs a supporting frame to hold the granite.

The mural had a contractor estimate of $35,000 for the granite itself; Dennis said engineers advised the wall could not bear the weight and that building a frame near the wall could add "maybe another, I don't know, dollars 10, dollars 20 thousand" to the cost. Dennis said organizers therefore pushed the mural unveiling to Memorial Day 2026 to allow time for fundraising and construction of the frame.

On fundraising and donated items, Dennis provided a project spreadsheet and explained the historical-society pass-through arrangement organizers used for tax-deductible gifts. He said the Norton Historical Society will receive 5% as a pass-through recipient on donations written to the society and then passed to the city. "So basically, just think every time they write us a $10,000 check for donations received, we write them a check back for 500," Dennis said.

Dennis reported roughly $120,000 in revenue so far and described major fundraising lines: nine of 10 memorial benches sold; 22 three-by-three concrete walkway sponsorships at $500 each (raising about $11,000); about $20,000 from small, medium and large pavers; and several anonymous and direct donations. He said the etched-granite mural would cost about $35,000 not including the frame. He also said NOPEC contributed $25,000 through the electric-aggregation program and that gas-aggregation funds (about $24,000 on hand, used on a three-year cycle) will be allocated to a separate kitchen-renovation project.

Dennis credited community donors and organizations for specific contributions: a VFW post donated $10,000 to sponsor the boots-and-bayonet bronze statue; organizers were awaiting a $5,000 landscaping pledge from an organization identified as "SA Communal"; and other donors purchased benches and pavers. He also said Ken Noon offered to add Purple Heart recipients' names at no charge and that Ray Williams suggested design changes to the memorial walk that added three or four additional monuments at roughly $10,000 each.

Organizers described the memorial layout and visitor experience: military branch verbiage will face outward on monuments, while the back sides facing a flag display will show names of local service members; the site will be lit. Dennis said volunteers and local nonprofits will be invited to have tables inside the community center during the dedication and that the day will include a pancake breakfast (7:15–8:45 a.m., $10) and a second breakfast period after the ceremony.

Dennis said staff and volunteers reached out to military and genealogical organizations to compile names for the memorial and acknowledged the list is still being updated; he said he believes the list includes most service members who died but that Purple Heart recipients may be added later. "We will be adding some Purple Hearts, I imagine, and that's fine," he said.

No formal votes or council actions were recorded on the memorial itself during the May 21 meeting.

Organizers said the Norton Veterans Park name has been adopted and that the memorial will function as an additional park on city property sharing the Norton Community Center address. The project team will continue fundraising for the mural frame and the additional monuments.