Letters to the Editor: Hennepin Appreciates Veterans and Those Who Helped With Memorial
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| Image courtesy of Quentin J. Buffington |
I am especially proud of our guest speakers, Naval Chief Petty Officer Joleen Darrah Burton and Chief Warrant Officer II, US Special Forces (Green Beret) Matthew Bolin. They both credited their successful military careers in part to being raised in the small town of Hennepin and the experiences that gave them a solid foundation for a successful future.
I also realized that I needed to address an error that I made during the dedication. In the excitement of the ceremony, I regrettably omitted some very important individuals from my list of thank-yous. Those people are Bob and Darlene Cofoid and Jerry Boekeloo.
I met with Bob Cofoid more than a year ago to ask if Serenity Monuments would be interested in helping with the memorial project. He did not hesitate to jump on board and I met with him and Darlene on numerous occasions in addition to many emails texts and phone calls as the project moved along. Bob and Darlene were instrumental in the design of the monuments, the site preparation, and the construction of the memorial.
Jerry Boekeloo, owner of Boekeloo Enterprise Inc., heard about the project and offered to use his semi to bring the monuments from Columbus, Ohio, to Hennepin. He made a commitment to personally deliver the granite pieces whenever needed even if it required a special trip and they arrived in Hennepin 24 hours before construction began.
To Bob and Darlene Cofoid and Jerry Boekeloo: Your participation was greatly appreciated.
I am very grateful and honored to have been involved with the creation of this memorial but as we know, it is most important that we honor and appreciate the people it represents. All of our veterans, past and present, should be applauded for their service.
Kevin Coleman, President
Village of Hennepin
Source: News Tribune