The St. Landry Parish chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution this week contributed funding for emergency repairs for one of the features at the St. Landry Parish Veteran’s Memorial Park.
DAR members gathered in front of the various monuments dedicated to parish servicemen who participated in four wars dating back to 1918 and presented project director Patricia Mason-Guillory with a $500 check that will be used for fixing four granite slabs that have become detached.
The contribution for the repairs coincided with a separate visit by members of the Wilson Robertson family, whose grandfather fought in World War II, Mason-Guillory said.
“This was really a great couple of days for the Memorial Park, with the family members and the funding for the repairs.
“Mr. Robertson was 102 years-old, a veteran and someone who has been with me for many years helping me with the Veterans’ projects around the parish,” said Mason-Guillory.
Mason-Guillory said about 30 of Robertson’s family members gathered at the Park in tribute to Wilson Robertson, who died last year.
“When we were first getting funding for the monuments, I remember Mr. Robertson along beside me on a one-mile walk, which was an event that we used to collect money for the project. He was very interested in getting it started,” said Mason-Guillory.
Members of the parish DAR visited on Monday, Mason-Guillory said, and presented the check that she said will be used to reattach the granite panels back onto their bases.
“One of these panels completely fell down, while several others came loose and are hanging down. During the summer the glue began separating and we are estimating that it will cost about $2,100 to completely reattach all these panels,” she said.
None of the panels are broken, but Mason-Guillory said their presence as one of the main features at the Park is essential.
Local DAR donate money to repair Veterans Memorial
“These panels are black and on them are the names of the servicemen from St. Landry who have died in combat in all the conflicts, from World War I until the present day,” she said.
Mason-Guillory said the panels are most effective when there is sufficient lighting that reflects off them. That also has become a funding issue, since she said about seven lights at the Park, which are aimed directly at the panels are out.
“We really need more help financially in order to replace the lighting. At night is really beginning to get dark out there,” Mason-Guillory said.
Source: Daily World (Opelousas, Louisiana), https://www.dailyworld.com/story/news/2019/11/27/local-dar-donate-money-repair-veterans-memorial/4320520002/.
Members of the St. Landry Parish chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented Patricia Mason-Guillory (left) with a $500 check to help reattach granite panels which have begun falling at the parish Veterans Memorial Park. The panels contain the names of all the parish war veterans who have died in combat since World War I. Representing the DAR are Carolyn Jarrell, Barbara Johnson and Jo Ann Caillouet.