A plaque is ready to be installed as part of a local effort to honor Veterans Day founder Alvin King.
Project spokesman Jesse Solis had an update on KVOE’s Morning Show on Wednesday, crediting the work of Coffelt Sign Company .
Solis says the project was made possible through the help of several people, including Bobbi Mlynar, Lyon County History Center Director Lisa Soller, Roger Heineken, Jan Huston, the Mexican-Americans Veterans Committee and others.
Over $3,000 was donated to the project in under a month.
Solis says this has been part of an effort to both remember King’s work and the resulting national impact.
Plans are tentatively in place for a celebration Sept 11, immediately ahead of the annual All Veterans Tribute Golf Tournament on Sept 12. The plaque will be installed at 723 Commercial, the location of King’s shoe business when he began working to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Solis says it’s also important that King’s wife is honored as well.
Locally, Emporia first celebrated Veterans Day in 1953. Thanks to work from a fellow Emporian, Congressman Ed Rees, and a signature from President Dwight Eisenhower, the nation first celebrated Veterans Day in 1954.
