A Minnesota teen designs and builds a veteran’s memorial in his hometown. About two years ago, Dominique Claseman was considering ideas for his Eagle Scout project. The 17-year-old had a lot of respect for those who had served their country in the military and it had always bothered him that his hometown of Olivia, Minnesota, didn’t have a memorial to recognize veterans, so he decided that he would build one.
At first he thought he would raise $12- or $15-thousand to build a little park to recognize veterans, but he soon realized that the project could be much bigger. He started spreading the word about his project and went door-to-door to local businesses to drum up support. Soon donations were pouring in and Dominique was working with a budget of over $75-thousand.
The teen drew up plans for a walkway flanked with pavers bearing local veteran’s names, and a set of flag poles surrounded by granite benches. He ran the sketches by his grandfather, a local contractor and architect, who helped him refine his design. Then Dominique and a crew of volunteers put the plans in motion, constructing the memorial earlier this year. The dedication ceremony for the memorial took place on Memorial Day and several hundred people turned out to marvel at the project that wouldn’t have happened if not for one determined young man.
Source: NBC