John Scarffe, Black Hawk. Members of the Mountain Rendezvous Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution gathered with Black Hawk City Council members and city staff in a chilly wind to dedicate a new memorial at the Dory Hill Cemetery on Friday, April 24, 2019. The new monument at the cemetery off Dory Hill Road, just across the road from the Gilpin County Justice Center, is dedicated “In honor of the brave men and women who served the United States of America.” 

DAR installed the new monument, and Black Hawk Mayor David Spellman accepted it. Fran McVeigh, regent of the Mountain Rendezvous Chapter of the DAR, led the ceremony dedicating the new monument. McVeigh acknowledged the work done to install the monument by DAR members Kathleen Schrader, Cheryl Lidyard and Jenn Latini.

Mayor David Spellman acknowledged the DAR for recognizing that this was the place for a memorial to those who served the United States. McVeigh said, “May this remind them of the unselfish call to service.”

A DAR member quoted Deuteronomy 19:14 “You shall not move your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.” The ceremony also included three prayers.

Nothing is ever ended and nothing is forgotten when it is recognized. “In grateful recognition of the significance of this site, I present this memorial,” McVeigh said.

Spellman said, “On behalf of the City of Black Hawk, we accept this monument to our veterans.” Following the ceremony, attendees rushed back to their cars to get out of the wind.

(Originally published in the June 6, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)