Dorchester unveils memorial honoring over 500 veterans from the community

Source: https://www.wsaw.com

DORCHESTER, Wis. (WSAW) - Over three years in the making, the Dorchester Veterans Memorial is finally unveiled.

"(It has taken) a lot of work, a lot of contractors and a lot of free help and volunteers from the area," Dorchester Legion Post 517 member Ron Decker said.

The unveiling was met with a joyful audience.

"It makes me happy. I can't explain the emotions you have. It means a lot," Dorchester Veterans memorial planner Daniella Schauer said.

From the Civil War to the War in Afghanistan, the names of over 500 men and women from the Dorchester area are etched onto the new memorial. Each has a story tell.

"I wanna know when they served, and what branch of service, and what their rank was," Dorchester Legion Post 517 Financial Advisor/Adjutant Jim Jantsch said. "So we have three lines of information for each of the 512 names, and I feel good about that."

Now in place, the memorial acts as a way to honor those who've served while putting a special spotlight on the community.

"We didn't have anything in the Dorchester area to commemorate all our veterans that come from Dorchester," Decker said. "And there is a lot."

You can visit the memorial at anytime. It's located off E County Highway Rd A, near Factory St. in Dorchester.