Veterans commission to cover repairs to Kettering World War I memorial damaged by windstorm

The memorial includes one oak tree planted for each of the more than 100 people from Montgomery County who lost their lives during World War 1. The masonry entrance was damaged during a storm last fall when a large limb fell from one of the massive oak trees. It landed across both sides of the entrance and knocked out a large part of the masonry, Cunningham said.

The scouts took to social media with an online fundraiser to ask the community for help, and their plight was shared in a story in the Memorial Day edition of the Dayton Daily News.

Bryan Suddith, deputy director of the Montgomery County Veterans Services Commission, said he saw the article and brought the matter to the attention of the commission, which agreed to fund the $3,500 for repair work for the gate. The project is expected to get the green light Monday to proceed, he said.

The commission funded restoration work on the Vietnam Veterans memorial last year and some construction work for the Medal of Honor memorial that will be completed later this year in Dayton.

“Normally it’s those groups come to us, but on this one, we saw the scouts, and we knew it might be a good opportunity to partner,” Suddith said.

Through the commission, the scouts also will be introduced to veterans service organizations in and around Kettering that possibly can help with funding for Eagle Scout projects and upkeep.

“The veteran services commission works with all 38 of the posts in the county ... These posts that comprise the veterans, their families, are also looking for ways to help preserve these monuments and the history of service in our community,” Suddith said.

Cunningham said the scouts are grateful for the support and the number of people who commented on the newspaper story and social media posts.

“It means a lot,” he said. “It means we have the resources we need to keep the Victory Oak Knoll in good shape and maintained.”

Next, the scouts will take on the task of installing a split rail fence and raise funds to repair and seal a 100-year-old concrete pavilion.