The Bethany Improvement Foundation is raising funds to help build and complete the Bethany Veterans Plaza.
The Bethany Improvement Foundation is raising funds to help build and complete the Bethany Veterans Plaza.
This initiative is entirely community-funded, community-designed, and community-driven. It reflects a shared commitment to honoring those who served and strengthening the bonds within their city.
Southern Nazarene University donated the northwest side of Donald Street and NW 39th Expressway (Route 66) for the placement of the plaza.
The Veteran’s Plaza was designed by local sculptor, Scott Stearman, to honor all members of the Armed Services.
“The thing that motivated me about the Veterans Plaza was being a member of this community in that this is where I have my business, this is where I have my home, it’s where I went to college,” Stearman said. “The idea of the Veterans Plaza really started when (former) Mayor KP Westmoreland called me and asked me about creating something for the city of Bethany. But as more of us came together and started dreaming about what it could look like, it really became more than just a Bethany place. This became (original name) Route 66 Oklahoma Veterans Monument. It will be a place that will invite people to visit, a place to honor, service, and sacrifice, and patriotism.”
Stearman said the purpose of this plaza is to invite you to step into the stories of those that have served.
“The stories of those who served are going to be presented,” he said. “Of course, there will be a big central sculpture that will represent different eras and different genders and different ethnic groups that have been represented in our military service branches.”
He continued, “One of the aspects that I’m really excited about incorporating into this is there will be a place for you to read excerpts from letters that were taken. Words that were taken from the battlefield, words that were sent back home to families and spouses, to children. The text will be captured in a little bronze plaque, and you’ll read a letter from someone. Letters from World War I, letters from World War II, Vietnam, letters from Desert Storm. It’s going to be positioned in a circle as it goes around the central sculpture.”
Stearman said the Veterans Plaza will be a place to appreciate and treasure what service and sacrifice means.
“We will have seen their words, and we will have an understanding of what that is all about,” he said. “I’ve talked about this place to be a tribute to veterans and to the families and friends of veterans who sacrificed as well. It’s not really a memorial. This is a veteran’s plaza that will be a tribute.”
Stearman said there will be a memorial aspect to the plaza.
“Set off to the side, a little bit behind the main plaza with the big center sculpture and the wall and the letters and the bronze plaques and all the words will be an area that is a memorial for the fallen from Oklahoma who have died in the global war on terrorism,” he said.
He continued “We don’t think this exists anywhere in the state of Oklahoma. This will be the first place in the state of Oklahoma where all the names of the fallen in the war on terror will be listed on one wall. These are Oklahomans who have died in service since 9/11. They’ll be etched on a black granite wall. It’ll be very much like the Vietnam Wall where folks will be able to do a rubbing, they’ll be able to put a piece of paper up there and rub it and get an impression of what that name is on the wall.”
Stearman said standing in front of that wall will be a sculpture.
“It is a life-size sculpture of a little girl, five years old, literally 39 inches tall, and she’s standing in front of that wall of names and she’s going to be holding a folded flag. That’s all we’re going to know,” he said. “When we walk up to this sacred place, we’ll see this little girl looking at a wall of names holding a folded flag, and we will complete the story. The truth is, she represents us. She represents our community. She represents families and friends who’ve sent loved ones into harm’s way, and now she stands in this silent tribute looking at a wall of names.”
He added, “We’ll fill in the blanks on the story, but she will present a beautiful truth that the citizens of Oklahoma have a great debt and have experienced a great loss, because someone they loved, their name is on that wall. So that’s the memorial aspect of it.”
Stearman said the Veterans Plaza will include three sculptures.
“Three sculptures will be against the sky as you drive by. A Vietnam frontline surgical trauma nurse, a World War II/Korean War veteran, and standing in the center will be a modern-day desert warrior, and the two from previous eras and previous wars will have their hand on his shoulder,” he said. “It will be a previous generation supporting the active-duty soldier today. There’s a continuation of the call to arms that a nation has extended to its citizens or call to arms to go to battle. This is a place to honor those who have answered the call.”
Lawrence A. Ross, committee member of the Bethany Improvement Foundation, said he remains hopeful the first phase of the plaza can be approved by the end of the year by the Bethany City Council.
“I’m still hopeful that by the end of the year, the city council will have said yes, and I can begin looking for contractors and hopefully these angel donors will come out of the woods who I’m told are just waiting for full city approval for our location,” he said.
Donations are being solicited and should be sent to Priscilla Cude, Treasurer, Bethany Improvement Foundation, P.O. Box 218, Bethany, OK 73008. Payable to Bethany Improvement Foundation, which is a 501-c-3 charitable contribution. • By Van Mitchell, Staff Writer
