NORMAN — Town leaders donned hard hats and grabbed shovels Saturday to break ground for a new monument.
The small ceremony was to commemorate the location of the future veterans memorial marker.
Joining current town council members were former mayor and veteran Willie Quick, several other local veterans, farmer Danny Bynum, former resident-turned-restaurateur Don Simmons (owner of Magnolia 23 in Asheboro), and retired television producer Zebulon Steele, who is making a documentary about the monument.
Plans for the memorial were first announced at the town’s May 2023 meeting.
The six feet by four feet monument will be placed to the left of the Norman stage and feature the names of all veterans from the Norman area listed under each respective branch of service.
The anonymous former resident funding the base of the monument doesn’t want credit for his contribution, but does have one stipulation: including the name of Lonnie Elwood Hoopaugh for free.
Hoopaugh (whose hometown is listed as Candor) was serving in the U.S. Navy when he died on Feb. 11, 1969, according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Wall of Faces.
All other names will cost $2.50 per letter.
Mayor Tonia Collins said there around 75 names slated to go on the monument and more are being added.
The memorial is expected to be in place in May, near Memorial Day.
