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Junior Council plans war memorial

Nathan Urie Abington Journal Reporter

CLARKS SUMMIT- Where is the memorial which honors Abington veterans from all branches of the service who have fought in all wars in defense of the United States? This is the question Clarks Summit Borough Councilman Herman Johnson said he had been contemplating while driving through the Abingtons and later brought to the attention of Junior Council.

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Members of the Clarks Summit Junior Council look over a few rough outlines for their plans to create a war memorial. Shown in the front row, from left: Junior Council members Kevin Yetkowskis and Jeremy Adelman. Back row: Junior Council Committee members Pat Williams and Herman Johnson.

Abington Journal/Nathan Urie

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“I have not seen any one that represents all wars,” Johnson said. “I think the Abingtons should have something like that for the people who died defending this beautiful country of ours.”

When Clarks Summit Junior Councilpersons Kevin Yetkowskis and Jeremy Adelman heard about this concern, they decided to make it a priority to set up a war memorial in honor of those Abington veterans who fought and died in every U.S. defensive war, including the men and women who contributed to their efforts.

“We’ve been lassoing the ideas we want and we’re trying to pick the best ones,” Yetkowskis said of the recent brainstorming he and Adelman have been accomplishing.

“If we bring to light that this is a missing monument, I think people would want to respond to this,” Adelman said.

The two junior councilpersons, both seniors at Abington Heights High School, have been observing and learning about local government procedure and how they interact with the community from the Clarks Summit Borough Council since early October. While attending monthly meetings and work sessions, students in the program are allowed the opportunity to see how political theories learned in academic classes are applied in action.

“It builds on our junior council people’s thoughts on how Council works in our community,” Johnson said. “I think they’re very dedicated and interested in local governments and very smart young men.”

As a project to also benefit the community and set the standard for future junior councilpersons, they decided to participate and lead in the memorial’s construction. They have been working with Johnson and Committee Member Pat Williams of Clarks Summit for advice and mentoring as to how the memorial project should best be approached.

Adelman and Yetkowskis, although guided by Williams and Johnson, have been independently drawing their ideas together and building a timeframe as to when the memorial will be actualized on plot of land donated by Abington Memorial Post 7069, Veterans of Foreign War, 402 Winola Road, Clarks Summit. The two have been working on incorporating a design for the structure, which would include service branch insignias, an inscription and a flower garden to surround it.

They are planning to have a path leading to the site on the land plot, with a bench for family and friends of service members to sit and reflect. The two will be writing letters stating their intent to local Abington businesses and gathering donations on the weekend from those who wish to contribute to its construction.

“This will be the main project I’m spearheading right now,” Yetkowskis said, referring to his prioritization of activities. Adelman agreed and said he hopes the monument would properly honor past Abington service members. “I think the people of the Abingtons would like to sponsor this and they feel strongly about it,” he said.

Junior council plans to invite volunteers from the high school to help organize efforts in achieving their fundraising goals. The unveiling of the monument is tentatively set for Memorial Day 2009.

Johnson said he was pleased that they were eager to make the project part of their Junior Council experience on their own. “I commend these two gentlemen for taking this project on,” he said. “I wish more young men would take their lead.”