Boy Scout planning veterans memorial in Lafferty

LAFFERTY -- Boy Scout Jonathan Dubiel plans to earn an Eagle Scout badge by honoring a community's veterans and restoring and updating a lost monument, and he has the community's support.

Dubiel, 16, of Flushing, is part of Troop 59 located in St. Clairsville, is undertaking the planning and construction of a memorial to honor all of Lafferty's veterans, and the Lafferty Moose has donated $1,000 to the project. Dubiel will need to raise about $38,000.

Marsha Butler, member of the Moose, said the Moose members were excited to hear about the monument, which will stand near the Moose location.

"We thought this was a really good idea of (Dubiel's), to come up with a tribute to our members and our town, all of our veterans," she said.

"We decided to start him off," Butler said. "We support the veterans through our lodge, as in Moose International, but this is closer to the heart because it's taking care of all of our people in town, our military in town, and we just think it's a great project that he's working on."

The monument will stand on a piece of property about two lots down from the Moose's location. It was donated to the nonprofit Lafferty Veterans Honor Roll by John Kelly, who had long planned to raise such a monument. Dubiel was happy to carry on the plan.

The monument will replace an earlier wood and glass monument that had stood in the village before it was struck by a car and badly damaged in the 1960s. Dubiel was able to obtain a list of all the 160 names on the old monument and has added about 100 names to them so far. He is still adding names as they are found or as veterans come forward.

"John Kelly had the idea of rebuilding this, but he never got the time," he said. "I asked if he'd be OK with me taking over the project and he agreed with it."

He said he also got the idea from his grandfather, John Dubiel and his family's military service.

"We have a large portion of relatives in the military. The majority have resided here and will be put on the monument. My uncle, my grandpap, a lot of my great-cousins, great-uncles. There's a good portion of my relatives that will be on the monument."

Jonathan Dubiel looked over drawings provided by Gallagher's Monument of the proposed monument. It will be made of granite mined in Pennsylvania. It would have the capacity for about 300 names.

The central column will be about 6½ feet and will carry the name of Eddie Szwab, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor who died in 1999. On either side will be a side pillar about 4½ feet bearing names.

"We hope to get it done before Nov. 11, 2024," he said. "The full project."

Shasta Dubiel, mother, commended her son's plan.

"As a mom, I'm super-proud of him for picking this as his Eagle Scout project."

His grandmother Patty Dubiel, agreed.

"We can do it," she said. "It's a big endeavor, but I know we can do it."

Jonathan Dubiel's first fundraiser will be a chicken dinner and bake sale set for noon-5 p.m. Aug. 12, at the Moose property. Price of a half-chicken with potatoes and roll will be $15. The event will also feature a 50/50 and auction.

"Just come on out and have a dinner," Patty Dubiel said.

Thanks go to Brad Applegarth, who volunteered his time to prepare the chickens that day.

Other plans include selling "challenge" coins for $20 each. People may also sponsor a name for the monument for $100. Butler is also sponsoring her father, who served in the Army.

Jonathan Dubiel said to have their names on the monument, veterans must have lived in Lafferty for at least five years and have been honorably discharged from the military.

"There's been a lot of support from larger corporations that have been giving donations, and smaller ones that have bought chicken dinner tickets already," he said. "A large portion of donations through sponsoring the names.

"We thank all the help that we've gotten from the community as well," he said. "All the other people who have sponsors names or given out donations."

People wishing to learn more or sponsor the project may call 740-827-6820.