Two days of fitness, family and fun to celebrate the start of summer in the Friendly City.
Proceeds from 2019’s Ogden Wellness Weekend helped fund the construction of the Gold Star Families Monument, which is located near the Veterans Memorial Amphitheater at Wheeling’s Heritage Port.
Hershel “Woody” Williams, the sole surviving Medal of Honor recipient of the World War II battle of Iwo Jima and a native of West Virginia, started the memorial project nearly a decade ago as a way to acknowledge and thank Gold Star families for their enduring sacrifice while remembering those who served.
The monument, which is just over 7-feet high and 13-feet long consists of four black granite panels. One side will bear the words “Gold Star Families Memorial Monument — a tribute to Gold Star Families and relatives who have sacrificed a loved one for our freedom.” The other side will tell the story about homeland, family, patriot and sacrifice. The center boasts the most distinct feature — a cut-out that represents the loved one who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom.
