The Veterans Memorial Project got a shot in the arm at the McKinney City
Council meeting on Tuesday night. It was there within the confines of City Hall
that LegacyTexas Bank representatives Robert Clark, Dan Strother, Matt Duncan
and Pam Best presented Ronnie Foster and Council members with a giant cardboard
check in the amount of $3,063.
"Every dollar counts. We've got a long way to go, but we're going to get there,"
said Foster, Vietnam veteran turned author behind the project. "This is what I
envisioned when we began the whole thing, a hundred dollars here, a thousand
dollars there. Everybody can donate what they have, so when it is finally built
everybody who put in a dollar can say they were a part of it."
The money was raised with a good old-fashioned food sale. LegacyTexas Bank
employees, along with help from John Rattan, Mayor Pro-Tem Thad Helsley and
Johnny Galyean grilled and dold hamburgers and bratwurst for those in attendance
at the Election Result Party in Mitchell Park on May 9. Rick's Chop House
donated food and supplies for the event at no extra charge, and a donation of $5
was asked for a burger, brat and a bag of chips.
"That's one of the things we're trying to do: get the grassroots people to
donate, get together fund raisers, get a lot of little things going," Foster
said. "That was my goal all along, to get everybody involved."
LegacyTexas Bank raised $1,531.50 at the event and pledged to double that amount
for the Memorial fund.
In a letter to Mayor Bill Whitfield and the City Council, Clark wrote, "LegacyTexas
Bank along with Citizens of Colin county is eternally grateful fo the sacrifice
of those brave Americans who have served and continue to serve in our country's
military."