FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
For more information contact:  Hugh Branscum 405-375-4600

            A large crowd of supporters turned out for the Kingfisher Military Service Memorial Ground Breaking Ceremony. The memorial will be constructed in the Kingfisher Cemetery within the land owned by Kingfisher American Legion Post 5.  The memorial is located here because Post 5 has donated the land and the city of Kingfisher is the County Seat for Kingfisher County and at the crossroads of Highways 81 and 33.

            Legionnaire Hugh Branscum is chairman of the committee raising funds to build the memorial and was the master of ceremonies for the event.  Dignitaries included State Commander William Lonkerd and State Vice Commander B.J. Longenbaugh.  In addition, the Mayor of Kingfisher, Claudette Brownlee congratulated the committee for commencing work on the memorial.  Mrs. Brownlee is the wife of Korean War Veteran and past Post 5 Commander George Brownlee.

            Also commending the committee and bringing greetings to the gathering was District 6A DEC Mark Mueggenborg.  State Senator Mike Johnson also brought greetings and commendations.

            The total memorial is slated to cost in excess of $400,000 and will occupy an area about the size of a standard basketball court.  The committee has raised sufficient funds to begin Phase I of the project and may have enough to continue to Phase II according to Chairman Branscum.  It appears initial construction will cost about $100,000.

            Funds to support the Memorial have come from private and corporate donors including $5,000 from Pioneer Telephone Cooperative and $10,000 from First Capital Bank of Kingfisher.  Branscum said more than 350 people have donated to the project so far including many $1,000 donors.  Also, a recent volunteer pie auction raised more than $16,000

            Chairman Branscum commented, “We’ll all be gone soon but this memorial will be here long after.  We hope that centuries into the future, young and old alike will be inspired by this memorial that commemorates the sacrifices of those from Kingfisher County who’ve served our country in the United States Military.”

            Plans call for the memorial to be completed in time to celebrate the State Centennial in 2007.