St. Johns County Commission Chairman Ken Bryan/St. Augustine Record, Guest column: 'Tireless efforts' resulted in Foot Soldiers Monument

Guest column: 'Tireless efforts' resulted in Foot Soldiers Monument
By KEN BRYAN
Created 05/08/2011 - 3:02pm
Summary:

A day of reflection and remembrance is finally upon us. The St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument will be dedicated in the City of St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitucion on Saturday. The dedication ceremony concludes a six-year endeavor of hard work and tireless efforts by a nonprofit group called the St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Remembrance Project.

A day of reflection and remembrance is finally upon us. The St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument will be dedicated in the City of St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitucion on Saturday. The dedication ceremony concludes a six-year endeavor of hard work and tireless efforts by a nonprofit group called the St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Remembrance Project.

The idea of the Foot Soldiers Monument was to honor citizens of all ages and walks of life who were involved in the civil rights movement in St. Augustine during the 1960s. This concept stemmed from the vision of Barbara Vickers, a St. Augustine movement veteran, and current President of the Foot Soldiers Remembrance Project. A diversified committee of more than a dozen citizens was formed and the project took off from humble beginnings with the difficult task of raising the $70,000 needed to have sculptor Brian R. Owens of Deltona make the Foot Soldiers Monument dream a reality.

Luncheons, film showings of Jeremy Dean's "Dare Not Walk Alone," letters to individuals and organizations are just a few examples of the fundraising efforts initiated by this group. A generous, single donation of $20,000 from resident Nena Vreeland jump-started this project along with the combined efforts and donations from many residents and several elected officials. I would like to thank the City of St. Augustine for donating the monument site in the southeast corner of the Plaza and for also passing special legislation to allow the monument in the Plaza because of its historical significance in St. Augustine's history.

Please plan on coming out at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 at the Plaza de la Constitucion for the dedication of the St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument.

This historic event is one you will not want to miss.

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Ken Bryan is chairman of the St. Johns County Commission. He lives in St. Augustine and represents District 5. He was elected to a four-year term in 2008.