From left, Cohutta Chief Probation Officer Bill Morgan, Vietnam War veteran and Cohutta resident David Rose and Mayor Ron Shinnick discuss the town's new Veterans Memorial Park.

COHUTTA, Ga. — Cohutta’s new Veterans Memorial Park was a true community effort, says Cohutta Chief Probation Officer Bill Morgan.

“I was amazed at the donations that came in,” said Morgan, who spearheaded the project for the town. “The (statue of a) soldier was donated. The three main flood lights were donated. The concrete was donated. The handrails were donated. The benches were donated. We had to buy the steel, but the labor to put it up was volunteered. The memorial stone was donated. The sod was donated.”

The town had a dedication of the park, in downtown Cohutta, on Memorial Day attended by more than 200 people.

David Rose, a Cohutta resident and U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, says he was proud when the memorial opened.

“When I first came home from Vietnam in 1970, the Vietnam soldiers were really looked down on,” he said. “To see my name on that monument, and the names of so many other soldiers, not just from Vietnam but other wars, really means a lot. I couldn’t be more proud of our little town. I’ve gone to church my entire life there at Cohutta First Baptist Church (just across the street from the park). I look over there and I see a park dedicated to the men and women who dedicated their lives to our nation and our political freedom. And next to it, I see a church where we celebrate the life that was given to our spiritual freedom. How appropriate that they are next to each other.”

Families and veterans can pay $25 to have a plaque with their name or their family member’s name and the dates of service placed on the monument.

“This isn’t just for veterans from Cohutta,” said Morgan. “If you live in this area and want to have a plaque, we will do that. If you live here now and have a relative who lived somewhere else, we will do that. We want to honor all veterans.”

Rose has three generations of extended family members on the memorial.

“This is myself,” he says, pointing to a plaque. “This is my father-in-law, Monroe Reed. He was in the Air Force from ‘46 to ‘48. This is his brother, Marcus Reed, from ‘47 to ‘51. This is my son’s wife’s grandfather. He was in World War II.”

Mayor Ron Shinnick said the park honors the service and sacrifices of men and women who often don’t get the praise they deserve.

“Our Fourth of July celebration brings people from all over the northern end of Whitfield County as well as Bradley County and Chattanooga (in Tennessee),” he said. “For many of them, this July 4 will be the first time they see this. I think it speaks well for our community. We’ll have the music and the food and the fireworks. But we’ll also take some time to honor the veterans from our community and the surrounding area who have served our country.”

Cohutta’s Independence Day celebration starts at 8 a.m. on the Fourth of July with the Funnel Cake 5K Run for God. There will be food, face painting, arts and crafts, music and antique tractors and cars throughout the day. Fireworks start at 9:45 p.m. Everything takes place in downtown Cohutta and Shugart Park.