With a backdrop of perfect springtime foothill weather, the El Dorado County Veterans organizations held their Memorial Day Tribute at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville, California. If you have not visited this site, get it on your priority list of “things to do”; you will come away with renewed pride in your country and in the men and women of this community who made the site possible. The guest speaker, Theodore M. Robinson LCDR, USNR, Retired, commented on the beauty and symmetry of the monument more than once saying, “I am impressed that a community this size has created a setting such as this.....a remarkable credit....”

Part of the program of the day was the presentation of the Veterans Monument Scholarship awards. Andrew Wall Esq. Former USMC, who is a member of the Friends of the Veterans Monument Inc. organization and serves on the scholarship committee for the Veterans Monument Scholarship Fund at the El Dorado Community Foundation, had the privilege of presenting two $2,500.00 scholarships to two most deserving high school graduates for use in their continuing education. Tabitha Fraser, Union Mine High School graduate and Clifford Abbott, heralding from El Dorado High School, were this year’s recipients.

Tabitha’s family felt a deep appreciation for the day as they honored not only Tabitha’s accomplishment, but also that of her brother who participated in the flag bearing ceremony as part of Boy Scout Troup 95, Pack 190, and James Fraser, Tabitha’s father, recently deceased, who served in the U.S. Army in the 70’s and would have been celebrating his 54th birthday. Tabitha will be enrolling in UC Santa Cruz and majoring in Environmental Biology this fall.

Clifford was not only a scholarship recipient but also played an important role in the ceremony as he was the honorary bugler, playing taps in honor of those who have given their lives for our freedoms. In fact, Cliff told us the story about visiting the University of San Diego’s Navy ROTC orientation. When he found out that the taps they played was a recording, he mentioned to them that he was a bugler and was instantly recruited as the honorary bugler to replace the machine! Clifford’s chosen field of study is English with a focus on Political Science.

Heartfelt congratulations go out to these two young people as well as to Richard Buchanan, Chairman of the Veterans Monument project, Peter Wolfe, architect of the project, and an entire community who made it a reality.