In his 1863 Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln memorialized those who had lost their lives while serving their country, saying, "It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this."  

Castro Valley is planning to build a permanent remembrance to the men and women who have served the United States in times of war and peace in Castro Valley Community Park on Lake Chabot Road.

For several years, the Castro Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9601 has wanted to construct such a monument. Although it's never come to fruition, the idea has never died. 

"It was a year ago that I was asked to spearhead the building of a memorial in Castro Valley," said Michael L. Emerson, life member of District 14 Post 9601 and memorial project manager.

However, money is a big issue. The estimated cost of the veterans memorial is $80,000 and only a portion of that amount has been raised. 

"We have only 25 percent of the funding needed," said VFW Post 9601 Judge Adjutant Robert Pirone. He was discharged from the Army in 1968 as an E5, or staff sergeant. "We're looking for donations because we won't break ground until we are totally funded."

The Castro Valley veterans group hoped to build the memorial on a piece of land owned by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD), in the community park. 

"The vets came to HARD a number of years ago and looked at locations," said Larry Lepore, HARD parks superintendent. "HARD owns the parcel for the proposed site of the memorial. The (park) district has always been supportive of the memorial and we wanted the best location and the best design."

About five monument designs were proposed to VFW Post 9601, submitted by the vets themselves and also by HARD. Emerson created the overall design; however, the idea of including children in the layout came from Pirone and District 14 Post 9601 Adjutant John McPartland. 

"Several designs were submitted and the post voted," said Emerson. "They ended up choosing my design. I was the person designated to put it together and build it."

Initially, Emerson commissioned an East Coast architect to complete a visual representation of the design. But after meeting civil engineer Jeff Moore of Castro Valley's Greenwood and Moore, Inc., and learning that the memorial project was in Moore's area of expertise, Emerson contacted him to finish the design concept. 

Lepore said the 35-foot diameter footprint design and memorial were approved this fall after several HARD board meetings.

"The original design has been modified several times, but when it's all said and done, there are no roadblocks," said Pirone. "HARD gave the stamp of approval on the Castro Valley Vet's Memorial."      

Moore worked with licensed land surveyor and Army veteran Gordan Glenn, who provided the topographic survey map of the existing veterans memorial site in Castro Valley. 

"The topographic maps are base drawings for grading and construction," said Glenn, who also performed the survey work for the meditation garden at the V.A. Hospital in Livermore.   

Moore said the Alameda County Planning Department is looking at the scope of the project and will respond soon. "We may hear next week, hopefully," Moore said.   

In the meantime, Pirone, who serves as donation chairman for Post 9601, urges the public, "Don't forget where we have come from. People came to the U.S. to get away from the tyranny of Europe, to get to a place where they had choices and freedoms."  

He said the public can contribute to the memorial by donating, ordering commemorative bricks or choosing to engrave on a service stone. 

"There are 1,200 bricks available and we've sold about 100 so far," Pirone said.  "Each brick costs $100 and it includes a three-line message of their choosing. They can memorialize a person or make a statement."

Pirone explained that it costs $200 to have a name  memorialized on one of the six granite service stones, which represent the six branches of the military.

"Our next big hurdle is cement," Pirone said. "We need someone to donate cement and the cement work. The flagpole, electrical and lights have already been donated.  Our thank you to those who donate time and material will (be to) have their name engraved on the back of the dedication plaque slab."

For more information about the memorial and to donate, visit www.cvvm.info or call 510-418-6311.