Fort Hall Veterans Memorial Park gets new flag poles
New flag poles were blessed at the Fort Hall Veterans Memorial Park on July 3.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Six new flag poles were blessed and commemorated July 3 at Fort Hall Veterans Memorial Park.
Vivian Wahtomy did the prayer — her involvement is because her father was a veteran and his name is on the monument.
Ruby Bernal, organizer, said fundraising from raffles helped pay for the project but she also pays for much of the expenses out of pocket.
Volunteers do the work. Bernal does it because her late father Herb LeClair is listed on the memorial for World War I and II veterans located at the park. She, along with her late brother Lonnie were among those who started the effort back in 2017.
Ruby LeClair Bernal
Steve Faulkner, another volunteer, puts the flags up and takes them down each year. His father was a veteran and his name is also on the monument. He said the volunteer work is a small token to show his respect to the Tribes and veterans. He and Reggie Thorpe from the Fort Hall Veterans Association put up the new poles.
The main flag pole was placed initially that has the U.S. and POW flags on it. A problem the group is experiencing is thieves stealing the rope off the pole for the flags as it’s happened at least five times.
Veterans Memorial monument.
There are 30 flags hanging behind the main flag pole and the six new poles. Thieves are also stealing the American flags as there were 21 remaining on July 3.
It’s frustrating for Ruby but she still has plans for further work on the park.
Steve Faulkner and Reggie Thorpe put poles in.
She said the next thing is to get access to water so the grass can be watered. She is also hoping a $3,000 grant from the INL will pay for sidewalks to the main flag pole and around it. Sho-Ban School students may be assisting with it.
Future plans include placing picnic tables at the park and benches in front of the main flag pole.
The initial goal was to get new flag poles and the group has achieved that. The first flag poles are what the American Legion from Blackfoot placed that were wore down from the weather.
Vivian Wahtomy prayed for the Fort Hall Veterans Memorial Park.
Her motivation, “Just not forget our veterans. I want to make it look good.” However money is needed to make it beautiful like other reservations. “You know, I think we’re the saddest one because nobody cares,” she continued. People scream about veterans but few people do anything. She said their group and the Fort Hall Veterans make an effort but they’re struggling too since not many people show up for meetings.
