The park is in honor of an Iraq veteran who belonged to Post 152 in Idaho, which has a membership that outnumbers the town's population.
American Legion Post 152 in the small town of White Bird, Idaho, population 91, has been raising funds to build a veterans park. The park is in honor of Iraq War veteran Matthew Wheeler, who inspired the post's formation yet tragically died after a fall following a car accident on the East Coast.
During a ceremony on Nov. 11, Post 152 unveiled the first of three phases of White Bird Veterans Memorial Park.
The park is the first thing residents and visitors see when they come into town, said Post Commander Walt Lindsey. “We wanted this to be something the City of White Bird could be proud of.”
The newly constructed veterans park features a curved, raised concrete block platform with six flag poles set on top for each of the five military service branches and the U.S. flag.
The second phase of construction, which is set for completion by Memorial Day, will be the installation of two ceremonial fire pits, granite benches and granite slabs inscribed with the names of 148 White Bird veterans from the American-Indian Wars to the current global war on terrorism. Phase three will be landscaping, ADA access and the installation of a bathroom.
“We’ve had a lot of donations from the community. A lot of volunteers from the community got this project where it is,” Lindsey said. The post is selling pavers to help fund the park.
Post 152 was chartered in 2017 and has exceeded the population of its town with 103 members, as well as exceeding 265 percent of its membership target. “And we’re continuing to grow every day,” Lindsey said.
The post, primarily composed of post-9/11 generation veterans, has built its identity and growth by providing recreational activities for others who have served, in particular those who have come home struggling with post-traumatic stress, community service and camaraderie.
Read more about the success of Post 152 here.
- Honor & Remembrance