Veteran's memorial gate dedication on Saturday

• New gate

The new veteran's memorial gate. Submitted by Jon Anderson.

Talk about it

In June, the News Chronicle published an article about the new site of the Veterans Memorial Forest and the committed members of the Two Harbors Class of 1962 also known as the “Nifty Crew of ‘62” who made it possible.

There were originally 92 members of the class. Eighteen have died over the years and those who remain are in their late 60s — still active, but Jon Anderson, member of the Two Harbors Class of ‘62 reunion committee thought that for the 50th reunion, the class should “do something big. Because this might be the last big reunion [we have].”

Anderson, a self-described history buff and former board member of the Lake County Historical Society, had been concerned about the Lake County Memorial Forest for years. The site near Silver Creek had been neglected and the trees were dying, so in 1999 the decision was made by the Lake County Historical Society, American Legion, Anderson-Claffey Post 109 and VFW Post 4454 to move the Memorial gate to a new site on the Sonju Trail.

In the process of trying to move the gates, however, the stonework crumbled, which meant that original cost estimates for the project went out the window.

The Historical Society was already involved in making improvements at the 3M Museum and converting the Two Harbors Light House to a bed and breakfast, so no funds were available for the memorial. The VFW and American Legion had seen their membership drop over the years and they were unable to support the project. Without funding, the gate remained in storage and the project on hold.

Fast forward to 2007, the 45th reunion of the Nifty Crew of 62.

“The THHS Class of 1962 decided to take this on as a project and to be completed by our 50th Class Reunion, which will be held on Friday, Aug. 17,” Anderson told the News-Chronicle.

The class began raising funds and through direct donation and grants, managed to secure all of the funds necessary to complete the project—about $7,000.

Now, just days before the 50th reunion, the new Lake County Memorial Forest gate is nearly completed and ready for its dedication Saturday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. The THHS Class of 1962 invites the community to join them on the Sonju Trail at the east end of First Avenue in Two Harbors for the event.

Tags: life, community, veterans