I am Joey Ricketts, and I am currently a Life Scout in Troop 48 here in Lynchburg, Virginia. I am now working on my Eagle Scout service project, which is building a monument to the Pentagon attack on September 11, 2001 at The American Legion Post 16 on Greenview Drive in Lynchburg.
My service project is a pentagon-shaped concrete walkway with a granite monument in the center. The monument will have 3 bronze tablets which explain what the monument is for. The Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld invited me to the Pentagon on June 15 for a tour and to be present for the groundbreaking of the memorial they are building on the Pentagon grounds. Following the tour I was presented with a piece of the Pentagon limestone rubble. This limestone will be on top of the monument I am building.
The monument is to remember those who sacrificed their lives while serving our country. John B. Scales, who is a member of Post 16, lost his son, Lt. Col. David M. Scales, in the attack on September 11, 2001. One of the bronze tablets will be to remember Colonel Scales, who was posthumously promoted to Colonel. The monument will also have a picture of Col. Scales and a picture of the Pentagon hours after the attack.
The walkway is located to the left of the old tank when facing the post. Go by and see the walkway; it will be worth a visit.
I am in the process of pricing another bronze tablet with the names of all the innocent victims of the Pentagon Attack. This tablet will also be placed on the granite monument. I am close to raising all of the funds needed for this entire project, including the previously mentioned bronze tablet.
Please patronize all the businesses that have made this monument possible. Please contact me if I failed to list a company. I do apologize – ricketts1@verizon.net
If you want to donate and see your company in the printed program, please contact me.
1. The American Legion Post 16 – Allowing Monument to
be built and Monetary Donation.
2. Coleman-Adams Construction – Built Walkway Free of
Charge.
3. Baer and Sons Memorials – Providing Granite and Bronze
at their cost.
4. SLAM – Signs, Logos, and More – Provided Sign at Site
Free of Charge.
5. Vietnam Veterans of America, Lynchburg Chapter - Monetary
Donation.
6. Scott’s Mulch and More on Rt. 221 – Provided Topsoil
and Rock Free of Charge.
7. Sterling Oil Company, Lynchburg, VA – Monetary Donation.
8. Watkins Builders. Inc., Easley, SC - Monetary Donation.
9. Intermet Corporation, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary Donation.
10. Jerry Falwell Ministries, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary
Donation.
11. Modern Pharmacy, Danville, VA - Monetary Donation
12. Alliance Industrial, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary Donation
13. The Animal Hospital of Lynchburg - Monetary Donation
14. Waterlick Garage - Monetary Donation
15. Trinity Services, Wilmington, NC - Monetary Donation
16. Newcomb Carpet, Inc., Danville, VA - Monetary Donation
17. Sonny Merryman Inc., Rustburg, VA - Monetary Donation
18. Wilmington SCORE, Chapter 283, Wilmington, NC - Monetary
Donation
19. Central Virginia Federal Credit Union, Lynchburg,
VA - Monetary Donation
20. AREVA, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary Donation
21. Campbell Insurance, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary Donation
22. WSLS News, Roanoke, VA – Providing Coverage of Progress
23. WSET News, Lynchburg, VA – Providing Coverage of
Progress
24. WLNI Radio Morningline, Lynchburg, VA – Providing
Coverage of Progress
25. Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary Donation
26. Dr. William C. Richardson Jr, Orthodontists, Lynchburg,
VA - Monetary Donation
27. Willow Springs Farm, Lynchburg, VA - Monetary Donation
28. Azalea Chapter of Gold Star Mothers, Wilmington,
NC - Monetary Donation
29. GFA Missions, Greenville, SC - Monetary Donation
30. The Pentagon, Arlington, VA – Being extremely helpful
and courteous. Providing the Limestone Rubble for this Monument.
The Dedication Ceremony for the Pentagon Monument will
take place on August 26, 2006 at 1pm.
Please RSVP by August 12, 2006 if you wish to attend.
Call or Email to RSVP – 434-525-1100 or ricketts1@verizon.net
On March 15, 2006 Coleman-Adams Construction
began constructing the complicated pentagon-shaped concrete forms. After
two days of working on them the forms were complete and ready for concrete.
On March 17, 2006 the concrete was poured and finished for the walkway. |
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Joey stands in front of monument site and next to the new sign donated
by SLAM (Signs, Logos, and More)
Joey receives a check for $1,700 from the local Vietnam Veterans Chapter
at the membership meeting.
Joey gives presentation to the membership of the local Vietnam Veterans
Chapter at the Marine Corps League on Lakeside Dr. on May 9, 2006.
Joey with Senator George Allen at the Pentagon Memorial on June 15,
2006
Joey with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon Memorial
on June 15, 2006.
Joey received a personal letter from Mr. Rumsfeld a few days after
meeting him.
Joey with Pentagon Memorial President Jim Laychak at the Pentagon Memorial
on June 15, 2006.
Joey sits beside the limestone rubble that the Pentagon presented to
him on his visit on June 15, 2006.
Joey organized a work party on July 25, 2006 to spread topsoil and
plant grass for the dedication.