New Tenino Veterans Honor Roll Memorial Wall dedication happening Saturday

On Saturday, July 18, the dedication ceremony for the newly completed Tenino Veterans Honor Roll Memorial Wall at Tenino City Park will begin at 11 a.m., according to former Tenino City Councilor John O'Callahan.

O'Callahan announced the ceremony during the Tenino City Council meeting's public comment period on Tuesday, July 14.

Efforts to build the Tenino Veterans Honor Roll Memorial Wall - honoring local high school graduates who served in the armed forces - have been ongoing for over a decade, led by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 5878 Surgeon Frank Hicks, who heads the Tenino Honor Roll Committee.

"Please come down. Remember these people who signed a blank check, and then some of them have had to cash that check in," O'Callahan said. "So please come down for the inauguration of the new wall."

Since deciding not to run for re-election last year and leaving the council, O'Callahan, a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the local VFW Post 5878, stated he now has more time to help finish the project at a previous council meeting.

"This one is going to last a long time. As you know, it's made out of rock instead of wood. It works out a lot better," O'Callahan added.

Measuring 13 feet long and nearly 7 feet tall, the Tenino Veterans Honor Roll Memorial Wall was to be composed of local Tenino sandstone, along with Wilkeson sandstone, Pennsylvania bluestone, polished granite, concrete building blocks and plaster, according to design blueprints displayed at the groundbreaking on March 8, 2025.

The wall is meant to be a permanent replacement to the original veterans memorial that was set up to honor Tenino High School graduates who served in various wars. It was made of wood and eventually deteriorated due to exposure to the elements.

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