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By DAN SEUFERT
The New Hampshire Union Leader, July 15, 2012
NEWBURY — Crowds gathered Saturday during Old Home Day for a special ceremony to dedicate the new veterans memorial in a small park area in the center of town.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass, R-N.H., was on hand, as were representatives from the offices of Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen, as well as District 8 State Sen. Bob Odell.
A cannon was fired, and prayers were said, and a wreath was laid against the three-foot stone memorial to veterans of American wars.
"This memorial will be a way for young people to remember how special these people were, and how special New Hampshire is," Odell said.
"This is a fitting tribute to those who have given so much," Bass said.
A town committee of veterans has been working on building the memorial for more than three years, said James Powell, chairman of the town's board of selectmen. It was made to honor all American veterans of all wars, he said. Voters approved $35,000 for the project in March.
The committee is taking orders from residents of surrounding towns who would like to donate money, or who would like to purchase a memorial brick paver or a granite bench to honor a loved one or friend.
The memorial's design features three walkways made of memorial bricks leading to a circular center area, he said. The upper half has pieshaped slabs, each leading to a granite post representing a branch of service. Benches are placed between the service posts, and the lower half will contain memorial granite pavers.
Several of the bricks in the walkways leading up to the memorial already have veterans' names and life statistics on them.
The three members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation each brought American flags for the memorial that had been flown in Washington, D.C. Ayotte's flag had been flown over Arlington National Cemetery.
After the ceremony, Powell thanked the dignitaries in attendance. He wasn't sure exactly what the town will do with the three flags.
"I guess we'll fly them on different days," he said with a smile.
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