Never underestimate the tenacity of a small group of veterans who refused to set aside their dream.
After years of fund-raising, designing, checking all the boxes with the city planners, followed by its construction, a new Whidbey Patrol Squadron Memorial sits waiting to be unveiled at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
The small site called Veterans Park is right across from Skagit Valley College. From this vantage point, one could watch churning PBY Catalina seaplanes take off and land in the early 1940s. Today, one looks up to see the familiar P-3 Orion turbo-prop aircraft hum lazily along on their way to Ault Field.
The memorial’s focal point is a life-sized bronze statue of a crew man who represents all Whidbey patrol squadron airmen. He wears a 1960s-era Navy flight suit and boots, a “Mae West†flotation device, parachute harness, ball cap and holds a flight helmet in his right hand. Sculptor Michael Maiden of Sandy, Ore., did a masterful job. His work may also be seen at the Prowler Memorial on Ault Field, where there are four figures — a pilot, crewmember and two children — sentinels guarding the names of aviators and maintenance personnel of the Navy’s EA-6B aircraft.
Over 60 patrol squadrons have been based at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. The P2V Neptune was chosen to represent all Whidbey-based patrol squadrons as these venerable aircraft operated from the Whidbey base runways continuously from 1948 to 1973, over 25 years.
Capt. David Taylor, Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10, will speak, the Navy Northwest Ceremonial Band will play and Floyd Palmer, president of Patrol Squadron Two Association, will hand ownership of the memorial to the citizens of Oak Harbor with an official presentation to Mayor Patty Cohen.
The memorial was financed completely by contributions from veterans, veterans groups, interested citizens and businesses. Some even donated time, labor and material, such as Krieg Construction, P & L Construction, Ward/Johnson Masonry and Tile, Krieg Concrete and AA Electric.
Our veterans deserve such a place of recognition. Thanks to those who wouldn’t give up, they’ve got it.
These tip jars grow …
KAREN and PAUL WHELAN, owners of the popular K’PAWS ISKREME in Coupeville, put their individual stamp on everything they do. Karen’s business card shows her title as “Ice Cream Artist†and the location at 21 Front Street as World Headquarters.
It’s no surprise that they came up with a dandy idea to help non-profit organizations, and all it takes is pocket change. The Whelans hire young people to scoop ice cream all summer. Out of dozens of applications, only three counter-people will be chosen.
This summer, the girls were ALICEN BISHOP, JENNIFER BOYER and JENNY MARTELL. Alicen is a freshman at the University of Hawaii, Jennifer is a senior at Wentworth and Jenny will be a junior at Coupeville High School but will be taking Running Start at Skagit this year.
“It was really their enthusiasm that leads to the tips/donations,†said Ruth, which leads me to the heart of this story.
Each employee picks an organization from a dozen or so that responded to a newspaper article. The young ladies set out their own tip jar near the cash register and waited for customers to arrive, make their purchase and feed the tip jar.
At summer’s end, the Whelans match the amount of tips to give to that student’s favorite cause. More than $2,100 was collected and distributed last month to the Reading Education Assistance Dogs, WISH (for Whidbey Island Share a Home) and Coupeville Food Bank.
These two hard-working people would never seek publicity, but I felt their story of community goodwill might inspire others. Thanks to JOY THOMPSON for the tip.
Thank you, good people of North Whidbey, for sharing your news. I’ll be waiting to hear from more of you in the weeks ahead. Write to me at lifeonwhidbey@yahoo.com or call 675-6611.
