Veterans and their family, as well as local elected officials and community members, gathered at the Orange County Veterans Memorial Monday morning for a special Memorial Day program.
The event at the memorial site, located near the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, is the first held at the space since Phase 2 of construction was completed. Phase 1 of the project, which broke ground on Memorial Day in 2017, consisted of walking trails and a temporary flagpole. Now, the Orange County Veterans Memorial sports stone and brickwork with a permanent flagpole and space for remembrance plaques.
On Monday, members of the Veterans Memorial Steering Committee and elected officials honored the United States’ veterans and celebrated the space meant to remember community members who have served in the military. The program saw a presentation of the colors and an American flag run up the new flagpole to half-mast.
Bruce Runberg, who co-chairs the Veterans Memorial Steering Committee, shared details of the successful Phase 2 of construction with those in attendance. Designed by a local architecture firm, the goal of the Orange County Veterans Memorial is to be a contemplative space for visitors to reflect on the sacrifice of community members, according to the retired Navy captain.
Runberg also provided updates on the next steps of the project, which includes bringing in an interactive element with Phase 3.
“We intend,” he said, “to have a digitized, electronic kiosk where people can go in and search for information about veterans in the county. And then Phase 4, which is really the final segment, is to improve some of the paths and to add another area where there will be some stone benches where people can sit and reflect.”
Memorial Day 2021 marked the first event at the Orange County Veterans Memorial with completed construction of Phase 2. Additions in the new phase included stone and brickwork, a permanent 40-foot flagpole and improved walking trails to the site.
While the veterans memorial has raised more than $150,000 for its construction, Runberg said around $250,000 is still needed to complete the future phases. The steering committee organized several fundraising events to benefit the cause in late 2019 and early 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic led to many being significantly altered or delayed.
Ultimately, the memorial saw its Phase 2 efforts bolstered by funding from the Orange County government, as well as from the town governments of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Organization, the Davie Poplar chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Bold Construction and private donations.
Orange County Commissioner Earl McKee spoke at the ceremony to represent the county government and to honor the Gold Star Military families in attendance. He said he believes the memorial, and events like Monday’s, are important when honoring those who have served.
“This [memorial project] has been a long time coming,” McKee said. “Today, we’re coming to a culmination of that idea.”
In addition to honoring all veterans, Monday’s ceremony at the memorial held time to remember a local veteran who recently passed away. Major Everett Hampton, known by many as Bud, died on May 13 at the age of 97. The World War II-era Marine was a resident of Chapel Hill for more than 60 years and was an integral member of the group who helped fundraise for the Orange County Veterans Memorial.
Runberg said he thought about Hampton “a great deal” on Monday, with many people gathered and seeing the memorial’s new construction for the first time. Even in his early to mid-90s, Hampton played a key role in bringing awareness and support to the veterans memorial project.
“He’s been a mainstay of the committee,” said Runberg. “He’ll be sorely missed. He was a true hero of our country and he continued to demonstrate that throughout his life.”
A brick in honor of Major Everett “Bud” Hampton at the Orange County Veterans Memorial. Other bricks at the site include a dedication to Hampton’s wife and children, as well as his four brothers who also served in the U.S. military.
More details on Hampton’s life, as well as the progress of the Orange County Veterans Memorial, can be found on the nonprofit’s website.
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