We couldn’t thank our mighty veterans enough for what they have done in fighting for our liberty. They sacrificed not only their lives but their precious time which they could’ve spent well with their beloved families.
That is why we always remember and try to give back to them by celebrating Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
The same respect for US soldiers comes from 15-year-old, Dominique Claseman from Olivia, Minnesota. He also wanted to commemorate the sacrifices of the U.S. soldiers from his hometown who already left.
In order to do this, he made Memorial Day his Eagle Scout project. It was a huge project that nobody believed he could accomplish at such a young age. Not only because the project was huge, but it was also costly at the same time.
Two years later, his vision turned into a reality.
On Memorial Day, a few weeks before his 17th birthday, Dominique was able to pull off what many people thought was impossible. That day, hundreds of people assembled to witness the dedication of the new veterans memorial in Olivia.
“The memorial before you is the result of the generosity and support that I, and the veterans of the community, have received,” Dominique said during his speech.
Even Ron Kopacek, the person who headed up the dedication’s honor guard couldn’t believe what the young man was able to achieve for the said event. We can’t blame him, given Dominique’s age, it’s really unbelievable to reach such funds.
“Fifteen years old, a sophomore in high school, he’s going to raise $12,000 to $15,000 we’re thinking, ‘What? Really?’”
To be honest, hearing his plan at first somehow sounded “impossible” but he did it after two years! To call what he’s done impressive is actually an understatement.
How the impossible became possible.
Even Dominique was surprised by how successful his plan turned out that there were times when he even questioned himself.
In fulfilling his vision, this young man started by distributing information sheets and setting up a table to pitch during events at the Olivia American Legion. He also did interviews with their local radio station and newspaper.
At first, his goal was to reach $12,000 to $15,000 but the outcome exceeded his expectations by a very high margin. Dominique was able to raise a little more than $77,000! The amount definitely secured everything he wanted to happen in his project.
Eagle Scout Dominique comes from a long line of service members one of whom is his dad, Mark Jurgensen who couldn’t be more proud of what his son has done to their town. “He’s one of the kind of kids that likes to make sure that he doesn’t disappoint anybody, and he strives really hard for that,” he said.
Dominique also hopes that one day, they will be able to expand the memorial for their own Eagle Scout projects. We can’t thank this young man quite enough for his dedication and respect for the service provided by their fallen heroes.
Watch the report in the video below to know more about this incredible young man.
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