From left back row, Jim Thomas, Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial Committee president; Thomas Jordan, treasurer; and Mel Feather, Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union president and Vietnam veteran; from left front row, Sgt. Janet Derbish, U.S. Army and Gulf War veteran; Jerry Felton, Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union retiree; and Aurelia Taylor. Submitted photo

Chautauqua County is home to several past and present members of the military, many of whom lack a memorial in their honor.

The Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial Committee is seeking to honor individuals who have earned a Purple Heart or other distinction such as POW/MIA, Killed in Action (KIA), or Died While Not in Battle (DNB), through the construction of a veterans memorial. Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union is proud to make a donation of $500 to this worthy cause, in memory of Jerry Felton’s father Gerald Earle, a World War I veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

Located in the Mayville Cemetery, the Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial will be an octagon gazebo with seven walls, covered with commemorative bricks, which can be purchased to honor military members. Military members will be on the inside walls of the gazebo, and sponsors and non-military bricks will be on the outside walls. Bricks are available in two sizes, 4 by 8 inches for $75 and 8 by 8 inches for $100.

The Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial Committee is looking for donations in any amount. Sponsorship is vital in making the memorial a reality, with the total cost of construction estimated at $81,000. To purchase a brick or make a donation, send a check payable to Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial, P.O. Box 102, Mayville, NY 14757. Contact Clara Dunbar at 581-1790 or Thomas Jordan at 224-1195 with questions.