The Veterans Committee has so far raised $4,045 for a statue at Veterans Plaza in downtown Beeville.

“With the consensus of the Veterans Committee, I sent out a letter requesting support of the community to raise funds for the purchase and installation of the bronze statue — the Battle Field Cross — at Veterans Plaza,” Veterans Committee member Gwen DeWitt told county commissioners.

She said the Beeville Garden Club and the one of the club members donated funds to pay for the stationery, postage and thank you notes.

“The letters went out four weeks ago and the economy did a nose dive,” DeWitt said. “As you can imagine, my hopes were greatly diminished. Then, the envelopes started to arrive. While we still have a ways to go to reach our goal, the businesses of this community have been very generous in our quest and to date we have raised $4,045.”

She said Precinct 2 County Commissioner Susan Stasny contributed $100 toward the cause.

DeWitt challenged the rest of the commissioners court to match Stasny’s generosity.

The Veterans Committee believes the bronze statue — a pair of combat boots in front of a rifle buried bayonet first in the ground with a helmet sitting atop the rifle’s butt — will help passersby recognize Veterans Plaza for its intended purpose.

The memorial is known as the Fallen Soldier Statue.

The Veterans Committee is also attempting to get a cross walk installed between the Bee County Courthouse and the Justice Center, where Veterans Plaza is located.

The commissioners court has approved a resolution in support of the cross walk.

DeWitt said she is attempting to get the city to approve the idea as well.

She said she has yet to hear back from the city.

“Many of our older veterans park at the courthouse and walk over to the (Veterans) Plaza,” DeWitt reminded commissioners during their regular monthly meeting last Monday. “The crosswalk at the corner of Highway 59 is dangerous and the corner in disrepair, so they cross in the center of the block, as do our county employees. It is important for us to let the city of Beeville know that a safe passage for our veterans, the employees of the congressman’s office and our county employees is an important safety issue.”