WHITESVILLE — A grassroots effort at honoring the fallen soldiers of all wars from Whitesville is coming to fruition. Community organizers say the project is in the final stages, with memorial stones purchased and awaiting delivery. Tom Anderson, of Whitesville, says, “The stones for the memorial have been ordered from Sears monument. We’re thinking they’ll be done by the end of this month.” The new Veterans Memorial will be located beside the Whitesville library and the group organizing the memorial are hoping to purchase flag poles and additional lighting for the area. “Right now there’s a chain link fence there but we plan on taking that down and constructing something more appealing,” Anderson said. According to Anderson, the small group of citizens have raised enough money to purchase the $21,000 black granite stones — a series of three headstones that will be placed on a double base. “The tallest stone, in the center will be 78 inches high and the two other stones will flank the higher stone on its left and right,” he said. “Once those are set, we’ll be building sidewalks,” Anderson said. According to Anderson, the group has been able to raise an impressive $27,000 “On Saturday, Aug. 15, we are having another fundraiser for the final touches. This will be a poker run,” Andreson said. A poker run, according to Anderson, is a type of mototcycle rally where the riders will leave from Whitesville, draw a playing card, go to Glen Daniels and Blad Knob, at each stop they will get another card. Upon returning to Whitesville, they will be given prizes based on who has the best and who has the worst hand. “We have about 75 raffle prizes and baked goods will also be for sale. Registration is from 9 to 11 and the rally begins at 11 a.m.,” Anderson said. When asked if he was concerned that the event, being held on the same day as the Boone County Fair, would lose participants, Anderson replied, “I’m hoping it won’t detract from the fair or the rally.” In addition to the poker run, the citizens held some bingo sessions and had sponsored dinners. “The Whitesville Rotary came through with a $500 donation and they also bought a gun that was raffled off,” Anderson said. Though small in number, the Whitesville Rotary was the first area organization to answer the challenge of these concerned citizens intent on buying a Veterans Memorial for their town. “Our goal has been to dedicate the memorial on Veterans Day this year, so unless we have some setbacks with the stones being delivered, then we’re still on track with our plan. We will be inviting people to the dedication ceremony,” Anderson said. The Boone County Commission also made a donation to the project. “They said they were impressed with the amount of money that we had been able to collect by ourselves,” Anderson said. According to Anderson, every year will have some sort of fundraiser to raise money for the maintenance and improvement of the memorial.