St. Charles Parish will see a milestone take place Wednesday evening as it officially opens the Veterans Memorial Plaza in Luling, which will honor living veterans and stand as a place to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
The parish recently announced the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Veterans Memorial Plaza will take place April 5 at 6 p.m. Residents are invited to attend the ceremony and see the new plaza at the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center.
Ground broke on the plaza in June of 2021, officially moving forward what was a work in progress across three different parish administrations. The Veterans Memorial Plaza will be located next to the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center in Luling and will honor all five branches of the Armed Forces with granite statues. The plaza will also house the state’s second Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, which provides a place of permanence for Gold Star Families to gather.
The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument has four panels recognizing Homeland, Family, Patriot and Sacrifice. Organizers said the highlight of the monument is a silhouette of a saluting service member, representing the legacy of loved ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
There is also a POW/MIA statue to recognize American prisoners of war and those missing in action, as well as a Purple Heart Memorial. In addition, LED lights frame the park, allowing access for evening tributes and providing nighttime visibility from the Hale Boggs Bridge.
The plaza will serve as a host for all Veterans Day ceremonies and other tributes to the Armed Forces in the parish.
The Veterans Memorial Plaza ribbon cutting will be open to the public. Parish President Matthew Jewell, other elected officials and stakeholders affiliated with the project will give remarks. Light refreshments will follow the formal ceremony.
Those interested in purchasing a brick to be placed at the plaza can visit www.stcharlesparish.gov/bricks for more information. Each brick will cost $150 and can be purchased by a veteran or in memory of a veteran.
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