Veterans Memorial Gardens ready for Memorial Day

SEELEY LAKE - Volunteers with the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL) did some maintenance work to the Memorial Garden Tuesday, May 18 in preparation for Memorial Day. Aside from cleaning the grounds and removing weeds, the biggest change the site saw was at the kiosk. The wooden plaques were replaced with metal-engraved ones.

The new kiosk features metal-engraved plaques that will be protected from the elements under a roof. The previous version had wooden plaques hung on a chain. According to VFSL President Barbara Knopp, Darryl Wolery took on much of the kiosk work which began last fall. He designed, engineered and constructed the kiosk on site.

"He poured his heart and soul into it," Knopp said. "It is just beautiful."

She estimates that around 130 plaques have been completed. Wolery organized the veterans' names by divisions including Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Seabee. They have been mounted and are on display in time for the Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday, May 31.

The wooden plaques have been taken down and are available for families of the veteran to claim. Families can call Knopp at 406-677-2543 or Wolery at 406-677-3709.

Knopp said they are continuing their fundraising efforts with the Change Your Pace Challenge through June and by asking local organizations for donations. Donations could go towards other projects by VFSL but for now their focus is on the garden.

Outside of the kiosk, Knopp said they are hoping to lay out cement blocks for handicap parking and spread out their efforts to the rest of their property so they can develop it into a garden-like park.

She also expressed her gratitude to the Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteers who helped them burn slash piles last weekend to help cleanup the area.