A long-abandoned grain elevator in north central Iowa will get a new life soon. The vacant elevator in the Wright County town of Eagle Grove will be painted over to become the Eagle Grove Community Veterans Tower. Daryl Watts, president of the Veterans Tower committee, says the project materialized quickly.
“It just seemed like a perfect opportunity,” Watts says. “I know the owner and I approached him and he thought it would be a pretty good idea. We formed a committee and it took off.” The tall tower will be painted with murals honoring veterans, in addition to the American flag and the black-and-white Prisoners of War flag.
A team from South Dakota will begin the work soon, now that warmer weather is coming in. “They’re going to start, he promised me, as soon as the weather got decent so the paint would dry properly, Watts says. “I look for them to be down here in the next 30 days.”
Watts says a fundraising effort is underway. “It’s going to be in the neighborhood of $100,000 to put this all together,” Watts says. “We’ve had some nice contributions so far. This is going to be a focal point for people who come to visit Eagle Grove.”
Donations can be sent to: Eagle Grove Veterans Memorial Tower Project at P.O. Box 126 in Eagle Grove, Iowa 50533. Or call Watts at 515-448-3358.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City