Veterans park opened, rededicated along Water Street
By Christopher Miller
LOCK HAVEN – In a touching and moving ceremony Monday morning, the Clinton County Veterans park was formally rededicated in front of a crowd of hundreds of people.
“This is for the veterans, this is for your families, thank you all for your service and God bless you all,” Veterans Park organizer Dave Harger said in his opening remarks to the crowd in attendance.
After an opening prayer by Donna Batschelet, Amy Kowatch, CPL, US Army Veteran led the crowd in the National Anthem.
Captain Ralph Moerschbaucher read the poem In Flanders Fields, the poem written during World War I that speaks to the duty of the living to carry on the fight and to honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives.
In brief remarks, Congressman Glenn Thompson addressed the crowd, saying that this new memorial will “honor the men and women who served,” and that it will “resuscitate the tribute to service and the sacrifice of so many.”
“This is a tribute to family members as well,” Thompson said. “May this park inspire gratitude and respect, our veterans are what America stands for past and present, we shall never forget the sacrifices they made for our nation.”
State Senator Cris Dush was also visiting Lock Haven for the rededication Monday morning.
“As a Veteran, we took the path to defend the Constitution. Many didn’t get to the edge in harm’s way, but we all still took an oath knowing and willing to put our lives on the line, and we also recognize the family members of those who put themselves in harm’s way,” Dush said.
County Commissioner Jim Russo, speaking on behalf of all county commissioners, thanked the veterans who laid down their bodies for America. “This is about the kids who gave up their lives,” Russo said, “thank you to the parents of these kids, and thank you to our veterans.”
Retired Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot Colonel Daryl Martin was an invited guest speaker who started off thanking Dave Harger for inspiring him to, “lose 22 pounds so he could fit into his uniform.”
He spoke to the history of World War I and the Veterans Day holiday.
“Veterans Day began as Armistice Day in 1919, one year after the end of World War I,” he began, “it wasn’t until 1954 that Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in the United States. Not all veterans served in times of peace and not all served in times of war, but one tradition remains the same: the valor, dignity, and courage of the men in uniform,” Martin said.
“They were willing to face death for the idea that freedom is America’s heart and America can never fully repay the veterans of the feelings they experienced, we owe a great debt to our veterans, there is no better audience in the world. I think our veterans give meaning to Kennedy’s words ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.
Next to speak was General Maureen Weigl of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
“Patriotism, pride, and community, thank you Lock Haven, and thank you to the Veterans Park and Memorial for inviting me here today,” she started. “We give gratitude to our country’s veterans for over 250 years that our country has been here. This is a place where our veterans can come and where we can honor the 18 million veterans in this country of ours. Today is about sharing stories of service and what it means to sacrifice.”
Artist and Clinton County Arts Council President Steve Getz assisted Artisan and Sculptor Gary Casteel with the unveiling of the artwork all around the park.
“We formed this committee in 2018 and did a lot of research in design objectives for the park which were to be unique, uncluttered, be impartial, and have an orderly footprint,” Getz explained. “We wanted to be all-inclusive and have equal representation of all branches of the military. We created this green space where we want people to visit, bring a lawn chair, use the park and remember the people who came before and fight for our country.”
“The wall you see today is 110′ feet long and displays pictures and information of theaters and conflicts that the U.S. has been involved in, the steel and patina on the steel shows the longevity of our country, and librarian Joby Topper at CU-Lock Haven was an integral part of the text for the panels,” Getz said.
“The sculpture bust at the end of the park at the corner of Jay and Water Streets takes characteristics of the people who served from all the conflicts and combines them into one soldier who transcends all generations,” Getz explained.
Sculptor Gary Casteel of Gettysburg was also on hand to display his work, and had few words to say to the crowd. Casteel, whose works have been seen by millions of people across the country, commended Getz and Harger’s team to plan, build, and create the Clinton County Veterans Park.
Getz also unveiled the plans for a special Memorial Day dedication of an eternal flame monument of two stainless steel flames criss-crossing each other, and he highlighted the three cherry trees that were recently planted, adding that they will add a unique dimension to the park.
