Tea Veterans Memorial kicks off fundraising campaign

After years of planning and replanning, a new committee is ready to build a Tea Veterans Memorial.

The committee, which is made up of American Legion members, Tea Historical Society members and City Council members, have been meeting for a few months and have come up with the initial concept for a veterans memorial.

The original concept calls for a hexagon-shaped concrete memorial on the northwest corner of the Athletic Complex, kiddie-corner from the American Legion. Currently, the Tea Athletic Complex sign sits on the corner, but the committee plans to move it, possibly to the southwest end of the complex.

The committee is planning to honor the six branches of the military with pillars around the edges of the memorial.

When visitors walk into the memorial, they will walk between four benches located in the center that are angled out so they can sit and reflect. As they walk through the benches, they arrive at a monument that says “All gave some, Some gave all” that sits in front of a large flag pole with the American flag and possibly the state flag and POW/MIA flag.

Committee member Jerry Hoff is shooting for putting up a 40-foot flag pole.

“I want it to be seen from anywhere in Tea,” Hoff said.

In preparation for the memorial, the committee has looked at what other cities have done for theirs.

The committee has a bank account set up at Reliabank and Valley Exchange Bank in Tea. Those interested in contributing to the fund can make checks payable to the Tea Memorial Fund and can drop off donations at the banks or the Legion.

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