The Harmony American Legion Gustav Berg Post 81, in conjunction with the City of Harmony, will be installing a new Harmony Area Veterans Memorial in Harmony’s Selvig Park. The new memorial honors all veterans of the United States military, with a special focus on local veterans from the Harmony area. The Veterans Memorial area will provide locals and tourists a place to reflect and show respect for our veterans. It will complement the veteran activities going on in the surrounding communities and provide another tourist destination within the Harmony community for those coming off the bike trail or driving through.
The memorial will include a new monument, flags for each branch of service, upgraded concrete in the park area, new electrical service and lighting, and two granite benches placed around the current memorial stone. Plans are for the memorial to be dedicated during Harmony’s 4th of July celebration in 2022.
Project specifications: The existing stone will be reset on the new concrete in approximately the same location with the addition of two granite benches (one on each side of the stone) and the American flag behind the stone. Across from this will be the new Harmony Area Veterans Memorial made of polished black granite measuring 8 feet wide by 5 feet tall and will rest on a granite base. The memorial will have the six branches of service emblems, an etched saying, etched flag with eagle, and the Harmony Legion Post info. Behind this memorial will be six 20-foot brushed aluminum flag poles that will have a flag for each branch of the service. New LED lighting will be installed by Morem Electric, consisting of three 14-foot poles with LED fixtures mounted on them to light the flags and the memorial.
The Harmony American Legion has provided monies for purchase of memorial stone. The City of Harmony will also be sharing some expenses that will also improve other areas of Selvig Park. Morem Electric has generously volunteered to donate the electrical installation to the project.
The entire project cost is estimated at $60,000. To assist the Legion with their funding, the Harmony Area Community Foundation approved a grant in the amount of $30,000.
The Harmony American Legion Gustave Berg Post 81 was established shortly after WWI in 1919 and has been an active Legion post for over 100 years in Harmony. The motto of the American Legion is “Still Serving America.” According to Post Adjuant Jim Bakken, “The legion post is a place for veterans to continue their service to America by still serving their communities. Veterans whose involvement in the community creates and supports the feeling of camaraderie which makes the American Legion the nation’s largest and the most respected organization of wartime veterans.”
Current Board Officers for the Harmony American Legion Gustave Berg Post 81 are: Post Commander: Rodney Koliha, 1st Vice Commander and Membership: David Whalen, 2nd Vice Commander: Allen Christianson, Post Adjutant/Treasurer: Jim Bakken, Chapel: Jim Randa.
Thank you to everyone who is involved with this project, and those who have donated or plan to donate!
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