T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON THE VETERANS Memorial project in Martins Ferry got a big boost in the form of new donations on Tuesday. From left are committee members city Police Chief John McFarland; Councilman Bruce Shrodes; Brian Dawes, who donated $4,000; Mayor John Davies, who donated $4,000 of his own money; committee member Terry Wildman; and Brian Hendershot, who donated $8,000. Behind them is the site where the granite memorial will be erected at Riverview Cemetery.

MARTINS FERRY — When Brian Hendershot and his father Dennis learned of an effort to erect a new veterans memorial in Martins Ferry, it only took a few minutes for them to decide to help.

Memorial committee member Terry Wildman, a Vietnam veteran, just happened to be talking about the project while eating lunch at Applebee’s in St. Clairsville when the Hendershots were introduced to him via a mutual friend.

“He said, ‘Write out a check for $8,000,'” Wildman said of Dennis Hendershot’s statement at the restaurant, directing his son Brian to make the donation to the project.

That $8,000 from the Hendershots, plus another $4,000 donated by Brian Dawes of welding supply company James C. Dawes Co., another $4,000 from John Davies, mayor of the city, and a recent $2,000 donation from the Tolbert family, has helped the committee reach its fundraising goal. The project can now move forward.

Wildman noted that fateful day he was deciding which lunch spot to choose, and something kept telling him to go to Applebee’s.

“I thank the Lord I was there and met him,” Wildman said of Dennis Hendershot. “You can’t beat that.”

The Hendershots operate Ohio-West Virginia Excavating of Powhatan Point.

Davies said he decided to donate his own personal money because he cares about the cemetery and veterans.

“This will be nice for all the veterans in the community who come to the cemetery,” Davies added.

Dawes said his company has operated in the city for 80 years. Both his father and grandfather were war veterans.

“They have three wars between the two of them — World War I, World War II and the Korean War. And my grandfather is buried here,” Dawes said. “I’m glad to help the city and veterans.”

Dawes added if not for veterans and their sacrifices, the country would not be the same.

Wildman said the committee still is selling memorial bricks that will be used to create the paths to the main monument, but now money generated by those sales can be used to update the lighting for the flagpole.

The solid granite memorial will be 6 feet tall and have engravings on all four sides, including the insignias of the branches of the military, along with insignias of groups dedicated to veterans, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans and others.

The bricks are $100 apiece. Order forms can be obtained from the Martins Ferry Police Department at 740-633-2121, from the Rev. William Webster at Grace Presbyterian Church and from Wildman by calling 740-633-0964.