[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6806]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE NEWLY INSTALLED BEVERLY HILLS VETERANS MEMORIAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 2013

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the newly installed 
Beverly Hills Veterans Memorial which will be dedicated in Beverly Park 
on Memorial Day 2013.
  In May of 2011, Paul Kleppert and Ron Berndt attended the city's 
Memorial Day Parade and Service. After the moving annual tribute to 
area veterans, they imagined a monument which would permanently 
memorialize the men and women who have served and, in some cases, given 
the ultimate sacrifice, to protect their fellow residents.
  The community supported their vision and gave generously. The 
monument was funded with 99% private funds. In fact, they raised so 
much money that they were able to purchase a large, full standing, 
black granite monument with engraving on both sides. It will read, ``In 
Honor of All the Men and Women of Beverly Hills who Served in the Armed 
Forces of the United States of America,'' with the official seals of 
the five branches of the Armed Services beneath and an American flag 
etched in the background.
  As the community of Beverly Hills commemorates this milestone 
monument, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in thanking not only 
the veterans of Beverly Hills, Michigan but all of the veterans across 
this free country, for their dedicated service. I congratulate the 
residents, elected officials, and businesses as they celebrate the 
veterans, the heroes amongst them, preserve their rich local heritage, 
and look forward to growing the monument in the future.

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