Veterans memorial to be dedicated July 4

On the Fourth of July, Jack Heller and Chuck Olson deliver on a dream they envisioned a year ago to bring a new veterans memorial to Kalispell.

The neglected old bell memorial has become a faded memory. In its place, a gleaming granite base supporting a bronze statute of a kneeling soldier awaits unveiling in ceremonies at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Depot Park (also known as Veterans Park).

According to Olson, the memorial won't disappoint.

"It's better than I envisioned," he said. "It's the most beautiful project in Montana. This is a world-class monument."

Heller and Olson started the project as a way to show appreciation to servicemen and women. They thought the former chipped monument with a missing plaque paid little tribute to the ultimate sacrifice made by so many Flathead veterans.

At first, the two looked into retrieving Kalispell's first memorial, a 1928 bronze doughboy (World War I infantryman). It was removed from Kalispell during a reconstruction of Main Street in the 1970s.

After several years in storage, the doughboy found a new home at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls where residents at the home told Olson and Heller they wanted it to stay.

Not discouraged, Olson and Heller consulted sculptor C.A. Grende for a design concept, then launched a crusade, hoping to raise about $250,000 for a new memorial for the county seat. So far, they have $192,000 in contributions as well as hundreds of hours of donated labor.

Olson said he has no doubt they will raise the rest based on the response they have received without the memorial in place.

"I'm humbled and so much in awe of the Flathead Valley," Olson said.

He said the donations included all the concrete and the granite around the memorial. Dave Meredith served as the architect and contractor for the project.

Heller credited Meredith, along with Grende, for "creating a masterpiece" in the completed monument. He named Roy Beckman of Meredith Construction, Don Anderson of Anderson Masonry and Dan and Catherine Blair of Granite Creek as top donors.

According to Olson, donations came not only from the Flathead but from Alaska, Florida, Washington, Minnesota and other areas of the United States.

"I actually got some from Washington, D.C.," he said.

Even school children got into the spirit, including his granddaughter's first-grade class. He pointed out that some of those children will remember their contribution when the community opens the memorial's time capsule in 50 years.

"I'll be watching from up above," he said with a laugh.

The contents of the time capsule will include a video of the ceremony, all the articles about the memorial as well as military medals and other mementos contributed by the public.

Olson and Heller plan to continue offering engraved bricks to raise the shortfall of about $58,000. Along with a maintenance fund, the money would pay to install a sound and audio orientation system where visitors would hear about the memorial as well as some of the Flathead war dead.

This includes, under the inscription "We will never forget," Matthew Saltz and Kane Funke, both killed in Iraq. The list begins with Fred Wheaton, who was killed in the Spanish American War, and includes numerous Flathead Valley residents killed in other wars.

In the Wednesday ceremony, Heller and Olson have included a special tribute to survivors of the 163rd Infantry. Gen. Douglas MacArthur credited the Montana regiment as instrumental in the New Guinea and Southern Philippine campaigns.

Wednesday's memorial dedication ceremonies will begin immediately after the Kalispell Fourth of July parade.

Organizers request that the public park in the Tidyman's parking lot prior to the parade. They suggest that people bring a folding chair.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com