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Statue of the "Kneeling Soldier" |
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Statue of the "Kneeling Soldier" |
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Artist's Rendition of the Memorial Plaza |
 The centerpiece of the Memorial Plaza is a larger-than-life bronze statue of a kneeling soldier, guarding the inscribed granite tablets with the names of Van Zandt County sons and daughters who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, are missing in action, or were prisoners of war. The kneeling soldier statue symbolizes the understanding of the magnitude of loss we all share in the name of freedom. |
| United
States Army Specialist and Iraq veteran Juan Herrera volunteered to be
the model for the kneeling soldier statue.
Many photographs were taken of Juan. These photographs were used later by the sculptor in the modeling of the statue, with attention to detail. |
U.S. Army Specialist Juan Herrera (Photo Courtesy of Robert Farmer) |
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Sculptor Ed "Pappy" Pickett (Photo Courtesy of Robert Farmer) |
Local
Canton, Texas sculptor and artist Ed "Pappy" Pickett volunteered his skills
in creating the kneeling soldier. Pappy allowed the public to be involved
in the physical act of modeling the statue to give them an active role
in the artistic process.
Several smaller versions of the kneeling soldier will be cast in bronze to raise funds for the Memorial. |
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| A contest will
be held for students within Van Zandt County school systems to name the
kneeling soldier statue. The winner will be awarded a $100 personalized
brick in the plaza and a Certificate of Recognition for naming the statue.
For a donation to the Memorial of $950.00, a bronze, numbered edition statue of the kneeling soldier can be ordered. A $400.00 deposit is required to place the initial order. The statue is ten inches tall and sits on a wooden base which will be affixed with the medallions of the five military branches' emblems. The statues are produced by the foundry in lots of twenty and delivery dates are dependent on the foundry's schedule. For more information about the statue, or to place an order, call the Memorial Foundation at telephone (903) 567-0657, or email info@vzcm.org. Click here to download an order form for the Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial statue. |
Small Kneeling Soldier Statue (Click here for larger image.) |
Chairman Harry Fontenot looks on as Henry Lewis (center) of Lewis Chevrolet, Canton, TX, receives the first kneeling soldier statue of the edition, April 11, 2008, presented by First Director Red Montgomery. David Cline (not pictured) received statue number two at the same presentation. |
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The Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial (VZCM, Inc.) is an Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) charitable organization and donations are deductible for federal income tax purposes. Please check with your tax advisor for details.
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