In 2017 Jimmy Edwards, a disabled Veteran from Conroe had a dream. Weekly he and others would come into Jor’s Italian Restaurant, sit at the bar and draw things on paper. This went of for months and finally got Joe’s owner Joe Haiti curious enough to ask what they were doing. Jimmy Edwards said he wanted to turn the Conroe Veteran’s Memorial into a Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of SH 105 and I-45. When Joe learned there was no money for the project he along with McKenzies BBQ set up a fundraiser which they served. Over $125,000 was raised over that event. Then more funds started t come in, Congressman Brady personally donated. City and county leaders came together and the park was started. Today the dedication took place. Thousands attended. A cannon was on hand and with the Star-Spangled Banner playing in the background, the cannon fired at “bombs bursting in air”. Jimmy Edwards explained the “WALL”, which has the name of many Veterans whose families made a small donation to help with the engraving. He said it was any Veteran from anywhere. The fee covers the cost and anything left is for the next family who cannot afford to have a name engraved. The park represents Veterans from all wars from 1776 to current. The first location for the war memorial was five blocks away and dedicated in 1972. It was rededicated in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. The original monuments were moved seven days ago to the new park. Also today the Huntsville Army Recruiter brought new recruits to the event. They were all officially sworn into the US Army. The Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating, illuminating, and enriching our youth, families, and communities from this state and this nation to the services, experiences, and sacrifices of our United States Veterans and First Responders.
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