By Richard Sullins | richard@rantnc.com
North Carolina now has two memorials recognized by the state legislature to honor those who have served our country in war and in peace, and both of them are located in Broadway.
A special ceremony on Sunday in the town will mark the official dedication of the second memorial, the North Carolina Disabled Veterans Monument, on a site known as the North Carolina Veterans Memorial Complex.
The ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 1 at the Complex, located at 210 S. Main St. in Broadway. There will be a limited amount of seating available for this outdoor event, so members of the public are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for seating during the program.
The dedication is made possible through the work of many volunteers, providing labor, goods and services, and monetary support that turned the vision of a way to honor those veterans who became disabled through their service into a tangible expression of gratitude by people from Broadway and beyond.
The Disabled Veterans Monument is sited in an area that is adjacent to the Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 2007. Site preparation work for the new monument began early this year and has been completed in time for the dedication ceremony that had been scheduled since the spring.
The monument will celebrate for years to come “our wounded warriors and the caregivers and families of these American heroes” in a fashion similar to the Veterans Memorial.
If you are planning to attend the dedication, expect some street closures in the area near the memorial. South Main Street between Church Street and Mansfield Drive will be closed Sunday from noon until 5 p.m., as will McLeod Ave. (between First Street and South Main). The town is expecting traffic congestion and a heavy pedestrian presence during these hours.