All lit up

A dreary Friday was marked by rain, wind and cold.

By late in the evening, though, the light came shining through.

Lester Huelskamp pressed the button about 8:45 p.m. Friday to turn on the new lights at the Fort Recovery Monument at the conclusion of the village's annual Memorial Day ceremony.

Huelskamp, who celebrated his 98th birthday Thursday, is the village’s lone remaining World War II veteran.

“I don’t know who came up with the idea of having Lester turn on the lights, but I tip my hat to you,” said Fort Recovery Mayor Dave Kaup. “Who could possibly be a better man to turn that switch on than our last World War II veteran here in our community.”

Huelskamp’s lighting of the monument concluded Fort Recovery’s annual Memorial Day ceremony, which was mostly moved inside because of the inclement weather.

A crowd of about 200 gathered in Fort Site Fieldhouse with various speakers paying homage to those who have given their lives in military service. The featured speaker for the evening was Delphos resident Shannon Wagner, who serves as Ohio Veterans of Foreign Wars District II commander.

“Regardless of race, creed or political persuasion, we gather here unified in solemn remembrance to honor the sacrifices of those who answered their nation’s call and who have willingly laid down their lives for our freedom,” he said.

The service was also an opportunity to thank those who were involved in raising money and organizing the lighting project, which has been discussed for decades.

The project was actually two parts — one the replacement of lighting in Monument Park and the other the lighting of the monument itself.

Village administrator Randy Diller explained that for years he had hoped to replace the lighting in the park because he didn’t like seeing the overhead wires crossing in front of the monument. He and former village council member Ken Romer formed a committee that raised about $15,000 to replace the overhead lighting with light posts similar to those in the village’s downtown area. (The LED lighting is also saving the village about $60 per month in energy costs, Diller said.) Donors included Fort Recovery’s VFW and American Legion posts, Sons of the American Legion, VFW auxiliary, Project Recovery, Fort Recovery Community Club, Fort Recovery Community Foundation, Fort Recovery Historical Society, Fort Recovery Jubilee, Bob Freemyer and Jim Westgerdes.

That effort partnered with work to light the monument itself, which was spearheaded by a donation from the John and MaryAnn Wendel family. Other donors included patrons of Fort Recovery Museum and members of Fort Recovery Historical Society. The historical society had also been saving money for years in hopes of being able to highlight the 101-foot tall monument. Garmann-Miller of Minster handled the lighting design and Mercer Electric the installation, with a focus on Fort Recovery High School graduates and those firms taking the lead. In all, the two projects totaled nearly $60,000.

Nancy Knapke, director of Fort Recovery State Museum, noted the more than 1,000 soldiers whose lives were lost in the Battle on the Banks of The Wabash (1791) and The Battle of Fort Recovery (1794). Originally buried in mass graves following the battles, they were later moved and now lie below the base of the monument.

“It seems very appropriate that we should join together with you as we recognize all of those who have given their service, and especially those who lie within the crypt of the monument because they gave the full measure,” Knapke said.

She explained that efforts to construct a monument began in 1851. It wasn’t until 1908 that Congress approved the monument and President William Howard Taft, an Ohio native, signed the legislation. The monument was constructed in 1912, completed in 1913 and dedicated in 1914.

Following the indoor ceremony, those gathered walked across the street to Monument Park.

Huelskamp, who was drafted into the Navy during World War II and as a radar operator on USS Lake Champlain, stood at the base of the monument facing west. He pushed the button as all eyes tilted toward the sky to see the monument lit up for the first time.

The ceremony concluded with the Fort Recovery High School marching band performing the national anthem.

“We hope they think it is absolutely gorgeous,” Knapke had said earlier. “And it is.

“But even more than that, it stands for such a significant time in our country that we want people to be aware of how important this community is and that went long before it.”