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A dedication ceremony for the newly-constructed Veterans Memorial at Bartlesville’s Veterans Park will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 11.

The park is located at 312 SW Virginia Ave.

Initially spearheaded by the late Ward 4 City Councilor Billie Roane, the memorial project got off the ground thanks to Roane and a sizable monetary donation from SLB, formerly known as Schlumberger.

Current Ward 4 Councilor Quinn Schipper, who replaced Roane on the council following her death earlier this year, has seen the project through to fruition not only to honor U.S. veterans, but to complete the vision of his friend and fellow council member as well.

"Billie Roane was a civic-minded patriot who believed in giving honor where it was due," Schipper said. "Her deep respect for America’s military was forefront in her mind when she spearheaded the initiative to establish a visible, accessible memorial adjacent to Veterans Park in west Bartlesville.

She envisioned the Veterans Park Memorial as an outdoor gathering place for veterans, military members, families, and community members to celebrate, recognize, remember and honor the lives of those who are serving or have served in the United States military."

The memorial consists of six flags honoring each of the U.S. military branches, which were donated by Phillips 66 Veterans Resource Group, in addition to the American Flag and the POW Flag, as well as landscaping, signage, sidewalk access, and the placement of several large sandstone boulders salvaged from the 123 Bridge replacement project and donated to the City by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Also included is a reflection bench honoring Roane, which was funded through a donation from the local Elk's Club.

"This truly is a community project that has come together through collaboration and teamwork, and that includes everyone from our city councilors to our corporate and nonprofit donors, as well as our Engineering and Public Works staff who completed the design and construction on this project," said City Manager Mike Bailey. "We encourage everyone to come out on Nov. 11 to help us dedicate this newest addition to our park system."

The dedication on Nov. 11 will include a welcome, brief history, acknowledgement of donors, a flag ceremony with the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a ribbon cutting with the Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.