WRENTHAM — Town Administrator Kevin Sweet is pleased to announce that the Town of Wrentham has received two grants for the installation of a Persian Gulf War Memorial.
The Town received a $15,000 grant awarded to them by The State Historical Records Advisory Board and a $16,000 grant awarded to them by the Sweatt Memorial Trust to subsidize the costs of the Persian Gulf War Memorial. The grants will fund the creation and installation of the memorial on the Town Common.
The memorial will consist of a stone that displays a map carving of the Persian Gulf and military emblems on the front, and a list of those who served in the armed forces during the Persian Gulf War from Operation Desert Storm through Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq, including Afghanistan operations.
The Persian Gulf War Memorial project is spearheaded by Wrentham resident and U.S. Army Veteran Raymond Rose. The memorial is being designed and installed by a local monument company, Tribute in Stone.
“Thanks to these generous grants and donations, the Town of Wrentham can commemorate those who served in the Persian Gulf War with a beautiful memorial,” Town Administrator Sweet said. “This memorial serves as a representation of our gratitude towards service members and an acknowledgment of their service. We look forward to this memorial joining the ranks of other memorials featured on our common.”
The State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is the central advisory body for historical records coordination with each state and for National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) statewide and local record projects.
The Sweatt Memorial Fund is a trust that was left to the town in the early part of the 20th century and that has been giving ever since. The Sweatt Fund Advisory Committee awards grants to town projects.
In addition to the grants, a local Eagle scout from Troop 61 in Wrentham is hosting a fundraiser project to fund the creation of a walkway approaching the monument. Any funds generated beyond the material cost of the walkway will be used towards the remaining cost of the monument.
The memorial is expected to be unveiled on Veteran’s Day 2020.
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