Wright remembrance garden to be completed in 2020

WOLFEBORO — According to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, 348 World War II Veterans die daily, one reason why Wright Museum’s remembrance garden has attracted attention.

“The space honors not just World War II Veterans, but all who served, which I think resonates with people of all ages,” said Executive Director Mike Culver.

Facing Center Street, the remembrance garden is framed by the exterior wall of the museum, affixed with memorial bricks.

The remembrance garden has attracted supporters including Meredith Village Savings Bank, who provided funding in 2018 to plant shrubbery and flowers.

In 2019, MVSB renewed its commitment to the garden with an additional contribution to expand it with more plantings and state, national and MIA flags. “They have been an incredible supporter of this public space,” said Culver. “It is a wonderful partnership.”

In August 2019, the museum held a dedication ceremony to commemorate the space. Moved by the ceremony, Dan Marrone of Sandown, project analyst at Crown Castle Fiber, pledged $5,000 as seed money to build a walkway from the entrance to the garden.

“At the ceremony, one of the Veterans who was in a wheelchair struggled to get to the podium because of the grass,” Marrone explained. “I thought, ‘We need to do something about this.’”

Noting his father was in General Patton’s Third Army March in World War II, Marrone said his belief in the importance of the garden spurred reflection and the desire to give more. “I emailed Mike, and I said I would pay $15,000 for the whole thing,” he said. “This way, it can be completed in the spring and drive more traffic to the museum.”

Crediting his cousin Sandra Hankus' husband Frank as responsible for introducing him to Wright Museum, Marrone said he is thrilled to be part of the project. “The Wright is a special place and so much more than meets the eye from the outside,” he said. “I hope an inviting walkway to the beautiful Remembrance Garden will encourage more visitors.”

Culver said the garden serves as a reminder that no one from any war will be forgotten. “We must remember, we must recognize their contributions, and we must learn from them,” he said. Additional support for the garden came from Northeast Delta Dental and John Warner.

To learn more about the remembrance garden, visit wrightmuseum.org.