The Orange County Veterans Memorial at Chapel Hill hosted its inaugural Service of Remembrance on Monday, aimed at recognizing the various military members and veterans from the local area.

Although the memorial itself has not been constructed, a site was approved in 2016 on Homestead Road near the Seymour Center. The memorial will be funded by private donations with support and land donation from Orange County and additional support from the Towns of Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Carrboro.

Dozens of people showed up on a rainy Memorial Day morning for the inaugural service, which was followed by a motorcycle tour of Orange County. County Commissioners Mark Dorosin and Renee Price were among the local politicians to speak, praising veterans for their service as well as recognizing those local service members in the crowd.

The Orange County Veterans Committee has set a goal of raising $500,000 for the construction of the memorial. More information on how to donate can be found on their official website.