A ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication for one of two final monuments planned to honor veterans in Pottawattamie County will be held next year, on Memorial Day. Eagle of Honor Veteran Memorial Project organizers recently broke ground on the site for the statue in Macedonia. In addition to paying tribute to veterans, organizers says the Macedonia monument pay homage to the town’s spot on the Mormon Trail. The memorial will include information about Mormon settlers who passed through the town in the 1840s.

James Braden, a volunteer on the project said one of the phrases planned for the monument is “following the footsteps to freedom.” The memorial will feature an eagle sculpture by Neola resident Russell Christensen, who has now completed bronze eagle sculptures for every city in Pottawattamie County. The monument site in Macedonia, is near the old school building, which is being torn down. Braden said the estimated cost of the Macedonia monument is $60,000, with fundraising supplementing the $25,000 from the County Board.

The Eagles of Honor project started in 2007, when organizers unveiled the “Colors of Honor” monument in Neola. From there, Christensen and his wife, Penny, an artist herself and collaborator on the project, solicited each town about a monument. Once the received the “go-ahead” from each community, the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors agreed to grant $25,000 for each memorial for the five-year project.

Monuments are currently available for viewing in Minden, Underwood, McClelland, Carson, Treynor, Oakland, Hancock, Crescent, Carter Lake, Walnut and Avoca. Groundbreaking for Council Bluffs’ eagle monument was held November 5^th.