Juniata County cemetery launches effort to build Veterans Memorial
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MIFFLINTOWN -- The Westminster Presbyterian Cemetery Association in Mifflintown is moving forward with an ambitious effort to build a Veterans Memorial, a permanent tribute to the men and women from Juniata County who served their country.
Trustee President Bret Satzler said the idea came from a simple act of respect. Years ago, while tending to the cemetery, he noticed veterans' headstones that had toppled, sometimes vandalized or simply sunken into the ground.
"It bothered me going past a tombstone that was lying down, either knocked down or falling over on its own, and having a flag beside it that you couldn't see the name," Satzler said.
That sense of duty led him to oversee efforts to repair and raise gravestones, restore the grounds, and honor the service of those buried there. Now, with the support of fellow trustees Mike Stoner, Petey Crater, Rachel Dowling, Shelly Horning, and Gabe Book, Satzler is guiding a new mission -- to build a lasting memorial that honors all Juniata County veterans, living or deceased.
The proposed site sits within the 13½-acre Westminster Presbyterian Cemetery, a property that dates back to the early 1700s and holds the graves of veterans from as far back as the Revolutionary War. The memorial will occupy a ceremonial space near the Liberty Tree, a spot already used for veterans' parades and community observances.
Plans include a bronze Minuteman statue estimated at $14,000 to $18,000, surrounded by flagpoles flying the colors of the United States and all six military branches. Each flagpole will bear a bronze plaque honoring an individual veteran. The memorial will also feature curved metal benches with dedication plaques, landscaping with rows of Emerald Arborvitae, and lighting to illuminate the flags at night.
At the heart of the design is an opportunity for residents to make the project personal. Commemorative bricks, priced at $150 each, can be inscribed with a veteran's name, rank, branch of service, or distinctions such as Purple Heart or Medal of Honor. Satzler said each brick "can be in honor or in memory of a veteran -- someone from Juniata County, or someone with connections to it -- and their name will be there forever."
The estimated total cost for the project is about $60,000. While fundraising has only recently begun, Satzler said the trustees are working hard to get the word out. They recently finalized design plans and are reaching out to individuals, civic groups, and local businesses. "We'd like to have it done by July 4 of next year," Satzler said. "If it takes longer -- a year, two, even three -- we'll keep going. You have to start somewhere."
The committee has already secured some community support. General Ron Fogleman, a four-star general originally from the area, has pledged to match donations up to $10,000. Satzler also credited local contractor John Henry of JPH LLC for offering assistance with construction.
Residents and organizations have several ways to help. Beyond the brick program, donors can sponsor flagpoles, benches or trees. Businesses contributing $2,500 or more will have their names engraved on a bronze plaque at the site.
"We didn't want to have businesses listed in the brick section; that space should belong to veterans," Satzler said. "But we wanted them to still be part of the memorial, so this was the best way to recognize their support."
Satzler said interest is already building. "We've had people who want to buy the flagpoles and the flags," he said. "Others are interested in sponsoring benches. It's really encouraging."
To donate, residents can contact Satzler at (717) 348-7222 or by email at bsatzler@gmail.com. Donations and brick order forms are available through the Westminster United Presbyterian Church office at (717) 436-2219.
For Satzler and the trustees, the project is about more than stone and bronze -- it's about gratitude and remembrance. "All these veterans, whether they served overseas or in the reserves, put their name and life on the line for our freedoms," Satzler said. "That should be honored, or we wouldn't have those freedoms."
He hopes the memorial will serve as a gathering place for ceremonies, reflection, and family stories passed from one generation to the next.
"Some people may come to see a great-grandfather's name, or a brother or sister's," he said. "But what matters most is that we remember them all."
The trustees plan to continue promoting the project through community outreach and social media. Satzler said he's grateful for the media coverage and the public's response so far. "We've got to keep giving it legs," he said. "Keep it on people's minds."
When the memorial finally stands on that quiet rise in Mifflintown, beneath the Liberty Tree and surrounded by flags, it will represent more than a project completed. It will be a promise kept -- that those who served from Juniata County will never be forgotten.