Yesterday, Caledonia High School unveiled a new Veterans Memorial, a project spearheaded by former student Brody Woodwyk to honor military veterans. The memorial includes an interactive screen that highlights the stories of Caledonia graduates and local community members who have served, helping to preserve their contributions and sacrifices within the community,
FOX 17
reported.
The project began taking shape when Woodwyk, a current Airforce ROTC member and 2024 graduate of Caledonia High School, attended an armed forces luncheon with his teacher, Heather Tornes. “I was brought along with Miss Tornes to an armed forces luncheon in Grand Rapids, and one of the challenges that the speakers kind of gave to the students there was to go back to their communities and implement something that would memorialize the veterans who served,” Woodwyk told
FOX 17
. The dedication ceremony held on the eve of Veterans Day, symbolizes the school’s commitment to honoring their own – those who’ve gone on to serve in America’s military.
According to an interview with
WOOD TV
, the memorial was made possible through fundraising efforts, successfully raising over $10,000 with community support. Marine Patrick Gillies, a Caledonia grad, emphasized the importance of the memorial: “I think we should have had something like this a while ago. I think more people need to realize the sacrifice that our vets have made. And I’m not just talking about myself. I’m talking about others that have made greater sacrifices than me. This is just amazing.”
In addition to honoring recent servicemen and women, the memorial also pays tribute to veterans from past conflicts. Vietnam veteran Gary Bloemers shared his experiences, reflecting on how the recognition of veterans has evolved since his time. “When I came back, there weren’t ticker tape parades or anything like that,” Bloemers recalled in a statement obtained by
FOX 17
. “And now veterans are being recognized.”
The initiative encourages community engagement, offering a way for veterans or their loved ones to be displayed on the memorial’s screen. Reflecting on the memorial’s impact, Woodwyk hopes that it “inspires them to take a step forward and do something themselves, to do anything to dedicate our veterans or just acknowledge our veterans,” he told
WZZM 13
.
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