Beaverton WW1 Memorial Committee, 100 Cities/100 Memorials
A portion of Joe Bradley’s personal collection of World War One artifacts was on display inside city hall this Friday and Saturday as part of the Beaverton Area Business Association’s sixth annual Holiday Hunt, and Andrea Buditt (Left} said she has something she might share with the Harrison collector.
The granddaughter of veteran and former Beaverton businessman L.J. {Laurn} Budge is seeking a good home for her late WW1 cavalryman grandfather’s spurs and letters home from France.
Buditt stopped by Saturday to participate in the Holiday Hunt. and then related memories of her grandfather as she spotted the memorabilia and a quilt raffle aimed at raising money to restore the WW1 memorial in Beaverton’s Ross Lake Park.
The restoration of “The Survivor” by German-American artist Helmuth VonZengen is being pursued by Gladwin County American Legion Post 171 as part of a national American Legion effort to commemorate the 100th anniversary of WW1.
The memorial itself was commissioned by the Beaverton Manley Morris Chapter of the American Legion which has since merged with the Gladwin chapter to become Post 171. Budge was commander of the Beaverton chapter and participated in the 1925 dedication of the memorial.
By the end of the quilt raffle Saturday Post 171 had achieved a quarter of its $40,000 target for completing the project thanks to the generous donations of many local and area residents, businesses, organizations and a $2,000 matching national grant leading up to the raffle.
Donations have come from the extended families of WW1 veterans like the Gay Cohoon family, individuals like the $500 from 171 Post Commander Bob Schafer and the $1,000 from the Beaverton Lions Club. Many others large and small have come anonymously through the Legion’s WW1 fund at area Chemical Banks.
Watch for further fundraising events hosted by the Legion’s Beaverton WW1 Memorial Committee in the coming months as efforts continue to reach the $40,000 bar. Donations will also continue to be accepted at area Chemical Bank branches.
By the way, the lucky winner of the quilt drawing at the end of the Holiday Hunt Saturday was Heather VanTiem of Gladwin.