Forks – One week after the dedication of the brand-new Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Forks, organizers of the project learned they’ve been selected to receive a $4,000 grant from the Governor’s Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee.

A total of only nine community organizations and non-profits across the state were selected, and VFW Post 9106 in Forks was among them.

Tom and Janet Hughes were the founders of the committee that raised the money to pay for the memorial. Tom says the grant is very welcome and will be set aside for future maintenance.

“It sure is. It really is a nice addition to help us because we were at bare-bones on our budget to get this monument erected. I would encourage anybody who’s coming out or even thinking about it for a day trip or anything…to come on out to Forks. Come look at it. It’s an absolutely gorgeous monument and its really a great testament and memorial for the families that have sacrificed so much.”

Gold Star Families are those who have lost a military family member in time of war.

The monument is at the Forks Transit Center, 551 S. Forks Avenue.

(Photo shows a similar monument in West Virginia)