The Town of Babylon recently dedicated the newly refurbished Copiague Veterans Memorial Park and Warrior Statue, located in the heart of the Copiague downtown area, on the southeast corner of Marconi Blvd and Great Neck Rd. The park is a tribute to those who bravely served and continue to serve our country so we may enjoy the life of freedom.
Close to 100 guess representing the veteran, civic, scout and business community joined the celebration which included a color guard by the Copiague VFW Post 9482 and the US Naval Sea Cadet Corp, CPL Kyle Carpenter Division. Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Antonio Martinez, Councilman Tom Donnelly, Councilwoman Jacqueline Gordon, Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Senator Michael Venditto and retired Assemblyman Bob Sweeney welcomed the scores of guests and uniformed veterans as the new Warrior Soldier statue was unveiled.
The Town of Babylon was able to purchase the granite American Warrior Statue, which is housed on a 3’ granite pedestal, through funding secured by former Assemblyman Bob Sweeney, the guest of honor.
The Warrior Statue pedestal inscriptions site the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs statistics for WW I. The U.S. Military was engaged in WWI form April 1917 to November 1918, resulting in 116,516 deaths and 204,002 wounded. 588 Town of Babylon residents served.
Supervisor Rich Schaffer and Councilwoman Jacqueline Gordon, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, thanked SRF Architects for donating the site plans, which includes a yellow military bow in dyed stamped concrete, planting and seating areas as well as two monuments, one representing the Four Chaplains. Local landscaper Gianinni Landscaping maintains the beauty of the Copiague Veterans Memorial Park.
Johnny Farina, ex-post commander, VFW Warren Keer Post 9482, who was instrumental in the planning and implementation of the new park, thanked the Town of Babylon and Assemblyman Bob Sweeney for their support and for refurbishing the park and bringing the Warrior Statue to the site. Copiague Veterans Memorial Park is a now a beautiful and welcoming focal point to the Copiague downtown business area.