JEFFERSON COUNTY, NE — A monument to area veterans is nearing completion in Jefferson County.

"We're feeling very confident," Fairbury City Museum President Mick Suey said. "Actually, we're way ahead of schedule."

Project coordinator Mick Suey he’s more than pleased with progress made to the county’s new veteran’s memorial. Much of the work can be attributed to local companies, such as Beatrice-based Van Winkle Masonry who Monday were working on the memorial’s wall.

"We were actually thinking it may even be next year by the time we got this done," Suey said. "But people have been on board, supportive, donated so we've been able to do all these things when we wanted to."

Several other local businesses have put in work on the project, according to Suey. That list includes:

- Thom Hunt, a Fairbury artist who designed the project and is making the central statue
- Mitch Mcatee, a local veteran who dug and poured the concrete slab
- Mitch Zab and Doug Kapke, local veterans who helped spread awareness of project and provided historical research
- Quality Monuments of Washington, Kan. who made the granite slabs and benches
- Endicott Clay Products who donated and helped engrave bricks
- Neuerburg Trucking of Fairbury who helped deliver materials
- Stewart Lawn Care of Fairbury who is working on seeding/landscaping
- Campbell's Nurseries of Lincoln who is working on landscaping
- Anything Electric Heating & AC of Fairbury who is doing electric/lighting work
- City of Fairbury for tree trimming and prepping site for electric hookup

That wall will include names of several veterans from Jefferson County as well as donors.

"Well it just tells you that we live in a great community and county and, you know, since day one people have been pitching in."

Once the wall is complete, Suey says there’s still lighting and landscaping work to be done.

Also waiting to be installed is a statue of David Topman, who is from the area and served in the Civil War.

Once put in, the project will have gone from rendering to reality.

"Seeing it come to life is amazing," Suey said. "It's better than I could have hoped for or could have imagined."

As for the wall, Suey tells NCN if any veterans missed out on the chance to get a custom brick this year, submissions will reopen in July to be added next year.

"You know, I'll say it's not done. It'll never be done," Suey said. "We want to keep adding on and it would be nice to have to build another wall."

A dedication ceremony for the monument is currently set for Memorial Day.