Burrus donates metal plaque for Veterans Way

Local businessman Jerry Burrus installed a new plaque in front of the Veterans Way mural on Tuesday, June 28, to honor the individuals, businesses and organizations which contributed to the creation of Veterans Way. The plaque is a stainless steel plate, mounted onto a frame made from metal repurposed from a steel wagon wheel by Pat McCarty, owner of Washington Forge. The plaque took almost three years and thousands of dollars to make; Burrus said he spent years searching for the right materials and craftsmanship for the job.
McCarty himself said the way the plaque's frame was forged was representative of how the military trains new recruits.
"The elements decorating the frame are formed by upsetting the metal, he said, "hammering the iron into itself, making it bigger, fuller. Similar to a young person entering the service, he knows nothing, but all the drills and training are hammered into the recruit filling and forming the recruit into a better person."