VFW looks to community members to help raise funds for memorial

• Veterans memorial

Pictured is the overall design for the Osakis Armed Forces Memorial, which will be built at Bill Sliper Lions Park in the summer of 2013. The words “city of” will not be included on the structure on the left. (Contributed)

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In the summer of 2013, the Osakis community will have a space to commemorate the men and women in the Armed Forces.

The Osakis VFW has joined forces with the Osakis Women’s Association and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary to raise funds to help build the Osakis Armed Forces Memorial in Bill Sliper Lions Park.

A fundraiser will be held Sunday, August 12 at the Osakis VFW. Festivities will include a sloppy joe free-will donation lunch and silent auction from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a live auction starting at 1:30 p.m. and a bake sale from 10:30 a.m. until the end of the fundraiser.

The coordinators of the event are requesting that members of the community contribute to the fundraiser.

Contributions can range from monetary donations and baked goods to new or valuable items for the live and silent auctions.

Baked goods can be brought to the VFW during the evening of Saturday, August 11 or before 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 12.

Monetary donations and auction items can be brought to the VFW any time between now and August 12.

“The success of the fundraiser depends on the involvement of the community,” said Mike Kral, local veteran of the Vietnam War.

“We’ve had a fairly substantial number of donations already,” said Kral. However, more funds are needed in order to begin the $100,000 project.

Planning for the Osakis Armed Forces Memorial began approximately one year ago, and a design for the memorial was selected.

The VFW plans to organize further fundraisers to supplement the memorial fund.

Tags: local news, armed forces, news, vfw, memorial