By Neil Fogarty

Last evening I spent time with a veteran’s memorial subcommittee discussing ideas for a memorial in their city.  The meeting had recurring themes, a familiar cadence, and a fruitful outcome.  Driving home I realized that this feeling of familiarity was a feeling of awesome responsibility.  For more times than any other company, a Dodds representative worked with a group of veterans to create a Lasting Vision of Love for the community men and women who have served, are serving, and will ever serve.

Every memorial we create is unique and special, however veteran and civic memorials contain a significance that is undeniable, because these memorials represent countless individuals and families.  Whether honoring fallen law officers, veterans, or other first responders, the task of creating a memorial that speaks to a community is never an easy task.  How we honor those who serve tells us a lot about who we are.

Dodds Memorials, in 160 years of business, created and continues to create these memorials.  The reasons for this history are simple:  longevity, trust, commitment, and quality.  More organizations have entrusted Dodds over the last century and a half, than any other company in Southwest Ohio.  They believe, as I do, that Dodds is the company best equipped to oversee such a sacred task. 

This privilege, however, is never taken lightly.  Any time those who have sacrificed so much are honored by the community, their families, and their peers the process cannot be rote or cliché.  Each engagement demands a fresh approach, a listening ear, and a willingness to truly understand what a group wants to accomplish.  As we approach the celebration of our country’s independence, may we all feel the weight of that sacrifice and appreciate the role we all can play in honoring and remembering those who give it all to keep us safe.