The Lima City Schools has announced that it will build a Lima City Schools Veterans Wall of Honor at Lima Senior High School.
The district is now collecting names of Lima Senior, South and Central High School graduates who served active duty in the military. It has also kicked off its campaign to raise funds for the wall. District funds will not be used.
Superintendent Jill Ackerman said the district has already collected about 130 names, but knows there are many more men and women who served their country and deserve to be recognized by their alma mater.
“Our hope is that this wall will also remind our current students of the sacrifices made by so many graduates who came before them,” she said. “We know there are students sitting in classrooms inside Lima Senior and in buildings around our district who will one day have their names etched on the wall.”
Ackerman was joined recently by the Allen County Veterans Service Commission, Lima City Schools Foundation and Johns Memorials, which will construct the black granite wall that will stand six and a half feet. It will include names of graduates, their branch of service and year of graduation.
Veterans and/or family members must complete a form to be included in the project. Family members are welcome to submit names of deceased alumni. A digital form can be accessed through the “Community” tab on the website. Look for “Veterans Wall of Honor.” The wall will be big enough to continue to add names well into the future.
For questions about getting a name on the wall, please contact Patrick Horstman at 419-996-3486 or email
phorstman@spartan.limacityschools.org.
Working with the Lima City Schools Foundation, the district launched a campaign to raise funds for the project. The goal is to initially raise $75,000. The district will seek larger corporate donations as well as donations of any sizes from other groups and individuals. Those donations exceeding $5,000 will be recognized on a plaque that will hang inside Lima Senior.
Checks should be made out to the Lima City Schools Foundation, with “veteran wall” written in the memo box. Donations can be sent to: Lima City Schools, C/O Beth Jokinen, 755 St. Johns Ave. Lima, OH, 45804.
Questions about donations should be directed to Beth Jokinen at 419-996-3411 or bjokinen@spartan.limacityschools.org.