PUBLISHED 7-3-2006

Why is this Fourth of July significantly different than previous ones in Kern County? An admirable public and private commitment and effort culminates in groundbreaking ceremonies for the Kern Veterans Memorial Foundation at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Truxtun Avenue and S Street in Bakersfield.

It is a long overdue tribute to veterans of Kern County.

Tehachapi-based actor and Army veteran Charles Napier has volunteered to be master of ceremonies at the event, which will be attended by public officials, military veterans and volunteers who are helping bring the bring the Veterans Memorial to reality.

Adding to the patriotic flavor of the day, a Marine Corps Color Guard also will be featured.

Construction on the memorial that has been beautifully designed  by Ordiz and Melby architects will begin shortly after the groundbreaking, with dedication of the completed project scheduled for Veterans Day in November.

Joe Colombo of Colombo Construction, which will build the memorial “at cost,” is in charge of the ambitious $1.3 million fundraising project. Some $300,000 of that total will go toward an endowment to pay for the required maintenance.
 
Colombo said the Memorial Foundation has requested some $500,000 from the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
 
The land for the memorial was donated by the city of Bakersfield. It is estimated by Colombo to have a value of $340,000.

Other cities in the county will be asked to make donations, he said.

Another $250,000 has been raised or expected to be raised through a variety of fundraising activities, including special collections in schools, churches, private donors, service clubs, unions, professional groups and a motorcycle poker run.

“A guiding goal is to not raise the funds from the vets themselves,” said Andy Wahrenbrock, chairman of the Memorial Foundation.
 
Donors of $20,000 or $10,000 will have their names inscribed at the front of the foundation. A book listing all donors will be on display.

James Whitehead, president of the Fox Theater Foundation, stresses that the tribute to veterans will be a living memorial with names added on a regular basis.

There will be two kiosks on either side of the memorial — one listing veterans killed in action and the other listing veterans who survived wars.

“We are asking the public to submit the names of any veteran who has lived in Kern County so their names may be added,” said Karen Norton, member of the board of directors for the Memorial.
 
“This will be a one-of-a-kind memorial all Kern County will be proud of,” said Leon Thomas, chairman of the Foundation’s construction committee. Indeed it will.