By Melissa Slager
Herald staff writer
A group of veterans is raising money to build a memorial outside Pop Keeney Stadium to honor their comrades and other local residents who died while serving in the U.S. military.
So far, the all-volunteer group has raised more than $11,000 toward the $25,000 goal.
The group may need to delay its dream of having a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Memorial Day.
“I think it’s going to take a little longer than that,” said Parl Guthrie, a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3348. “Any help that anybody can give would be great.”
The memorial is the outcome of an 18-month discussion by a Northshore School District committee that followed a proposal by Guthrie and fellow veteran Jim Morrison to rename the stadium to Pop Keeney Memorial Stadium. In the end, the men agreed with family of the legendary football coach that the name switch could be confusing, since Harold “Pop” Keeney was not a veteran.
Instead, focus shifted to the how and where of a permanent memorial to local fallen veterans.
The stately monument will be placed in the plaza directly outside the front entrance of the stadium.
This time of year, the stadium hosts home football games for all high schools in the Northshore School District.
“The district is pleased to house the memorial,” Deputy Superintendent Duggan Harman said.
“Every student who goes to Northshore games will see that and know that some of their alumni gave their lives for their country,” Guthrie said.
Names of fallen classmates would be engraved on the monument’s curved panels. So far, local veterans have identified 13 men from Bothell High School classes to include. Organizers are seeking information on other local men and women who were killed in action.
“It represents the whole district, not just Bothell. It’s for Woodinville, Kenmore — we want to make sure everyone gets represented,” Guthrie said.
Along with the Shoreline-area post, VFW Post 4314 of Burien-Highline — of which Morrison is quartermaster — also is leading fundraising efforts. Anyone wishing to submit names for the monument can reach out to Post 4314 at 206-218-6764.
The Northshore Schools Foundation is collecting donations for the effort.
How to help
The public is invited to donate to the Northshore Veterans Memorial.
In person: A table will be set up on the memorial site at home football games Oct. 18 and 19 outside the stadium at 9809 NE 188th St., Bothell.
Online: www.northshorelegacy.org/northshore-veterans-memorial
Mail: Northshore Schools Foundation, 3300 Monte Villa Parkway, Bothell, WA 98021
For more information or to get involved, contact Jim Morrison at morrison.jim@comcast.net or 206-218-6764; or Parl Guthrie at parlguthrie@frontier.com or 206-327-5739.
