PLATTSBURGH — Veterans of the North Country raised $5,500 to support the Battlefield Memorial Gateway project fund to honor the veterans who served and fought in the North Country.
American Legion Post 1619 members raised $5,000 at a fundraiser raffling off a camper, and the Sons of the American Legion donated $500 on top of that.
Gary Stark, American Legion Post 1619 commander, said the fundraiser was in the form of a 50/50 raffle for a camper with half from the members.
“We have the Battlefield and North Country Honor Flight, and the Memorial needed money now our next fundraiser will be for the Honor Flight,” Stark said.
The Battlefield Memorial Gateway is a lakefront property owned by the Town of Plattsburgh that is fully planned and designed to be developed into a military remembrance park in partnership with the Clinton County American Legion.
The park, which sits off Route 9 just south of the City of Plattsburgh, has been designed with veterans in mind, to serve as access to the site of the Battle of Plattsburgh, access to Crab Island where American and British soldiers are buried together, and the former site of Cold War military activity.
“I think it’s important that we’ve been telling people we are seeking private donations, and it is absolutely amazing to see these veterans who have already made a sacrifice for this country really leaning in with their hearts and their wallets,” Michael Cashman, Town of Plattsburgh Town Supervisor, said.
The project formally broke ground for Phase 1 of the Battlefield Memorial Gateway May 26, 2023.
Construction was completed in November of 2023, and Phase 2 will begin early 2025.
“As we continue to make significant progress we hope to give a status update at the end of the year, or early January,” Cashman said.
“Looking forward to sharing good news.”
The camper was donated to Post 1619 by Diane Carignan in honor of Helen and Alexander Carignan, who was a Korean War veteran in the Royal Canadian Army.
“A couple from Canada, their daughter had passed and they donated the camper to the American Legion to raffle off,” Stark said.