Dozens came out to help Westport unveil its new veterans' monument under a hot July sky at Beech Grove Cemetery Sunday afternoon,

The monument, the first here which recognizes all seven branches of the Armed Services, was unveiled amidst a sea of flags and inspirational words by a host of speakers including Carol Freitas, the town's veteran's service officer. Fashioned of seven pillars representing the Armed Services and Space Force, the memorial is the first that recognizes all service members.

"My hope is that this monument becomes a place where veterans can sit in quiet reflection on their military service," Freitas told the crowd. "Maybe they will think of the buddies they served with or remember those who never made it home. Maybe they will find some healing from their physical or emotional wounds — a place where family members can come and rest in solitude while visiting their loved ones' grave site."

It took more than a year of planning to conceive of, design, build and finally unveil the monument, which cost $18,000 and was funded solely through donations to the Town of Westport.

The work began in early 2021, when historian Betty Slade suggested to Freitas that an all-inclusive memorial would be a welcome addition to the Beech Grove veterans' section. Though there are other memorials across town dedicated to individual service members and conflicts, the suggestion struck a chord, Freitas said.

"I agree(d) wholeheartedly," she said.

Once the idea of an outdoor monument was verbalized, I grabbed that ball and ran with it," she said. "I was excited to be part of creating a brand new monument – one that honors ALL Westport veterans, regardless of the era or branch of service in which they served. And I was happy that this monument would be a place where people could visit any time of the day or night."

The idea for the pillars, she said, came from other monuments she researched in the early planning phases. Why that design?

"When I think of a pillar, I think of something that is strong and supportive," she said. "Although separate from one another, (they) collectively play an integral part in America’s freedom, and each branch of service has both those who serve in positions that could put them on the front lines and those in supporting yet important roles."