The Rutland Veterans Memorial pyramid was placed on site on Thursday, July 3, 2014.  It made it to the location just before the Rutland All-School Reunion over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The Rutland Veterans Memorial project began in 2012 with the formation of a committee comprised of members of the Rutland American Legion Post No. 115 and members of the Rutland American Legion Auxiliary. The Committee, comprised of Co-Chairs Deborah Banish and Ted Lee, also included Bill Anderson, Carolyn Christensen, Sonja Christensen, and Joan Lee.  The Committee, and members of the Post and Auxiliary, held several fundraisers – pancake breakfasts, bake sales, pie and ice cream socials – and solicited contributions from local businesses.  Concrete was poured in August 2013 after being delayed by scattered showers.  The electricity for the steel column and the lighting, along with the flag poles were already in place with the concrete.

The current pyramid with names of hundreds of Rutland area service men and women still needs a few finishing touches and some landscaping before the project will be completed. There will always be upkeep and maintenance needs and a few names to add as time goes by so there will be a few more fundraising events to help with that important aspect of the project.

If you wish to donate toward this cause, just send a check to the American Legion Auxiliary Veteran’s Memorial and send it to Pamela Maloney, Treasurer, American Legion Auxiliary, PO Box, Rutland, ND 58067.

The Rutland American Legion Post #215 and the Legion Auxiliary have been working on a project to honor Rutland’s home-town heroes. A joint committee was formed to plan a veteran’s memorial to be erected in Rutland.  The Legion and Auxiliary have been working on several small fundraisers for nearly two years and have already received more than $6,000 in contributions.  The fundraisers have included bake sales, pancake breakfasts, raffles and a pie and ice cream social at Rutland’s Ribfest.  They are currently selling tickets for a quilt raffle and in June will be coordinating the food for the Relay for Life Tractor Drive and also for a private auction.

The first phase of the Veterans Memorial project is estimated at about $12,000.  The project, located between the City Hall and American Legion Building, will begin with the cement base and a pyramid tower nearly 16′ tall with names of area veterans.  The project is set to begin this summer while the group continues to raise funds.

If you are interested in contributing toward this project, please send contributions to Joan Lee, American Legion Auxiliary President, at 9829 143rd Avenue Southeast, Cayuga, ND 58013.  Names of veterans are being compiled but if you have a name to be included, please let Joan know.  The group does not want anyone to be excluded.

We will have future posts with the proposed sketch and related information as this wonderful project comes to fruition.

If you want to hear first hand about the project, be sure to attend the Memorial Day Program in Rutland on May 27, 2013.