‘I had a dream’

“I had a dream!”
Sure, Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King said it first, but Minneota American Legion Commander Jim Fink also has this dream rolling around in his head.
He wasn’t able to leave it alone, this dream of creating a beautiful and lasting memorial to area veterans at the park in Minneota.
Fink just chuckles and nods his head when it’s suggested the project, which has begun to come to fruition, has possessed him for several years.
He’s held fund-raisers, developed plan after plan to collect funds and even gone as far as the Minnesota State Legislature to get a law changed so county boards could contribute to such projects.
He asked farmers to contribute part of their crop, with the funds to go into the project fund.
Also instrumental in getting the name changed to “Veteran’s Park", Commander Fink has been relentless in driving this project from start to finish.
Oh, he’s had help from his own American Legion, the Taunton American Legion, Minneota-Taunton VFW, the Lyon County Board and many others.
So with the big machinery clearing the area, pouring cement and the supports for the Pavers being built, the project is coming together.
“Have you raised enough money to pay for all of this?” Commander Fink was asked.
Thoughtfully he said, “Yes,” then carefully said, “I still will be asking the farmers to donate their crops again.”
There’s still more to do, like putting in a sidewalk.
The “Pavers” are blocks with veteran’s names on them, bought and paid for by the veteran’s families. These “Pavers” are the core of the project. They have been embedded in the ground, but now will be placed in the supports built to house them.
The monument that was at the park will be used in the display and Fink is planning a row of flags to fly behind the monument and “Pavers.”
Ever dream, no matter how many are involved, needs someone with the “vision” of the dream to carry it out. Jim Fink has been that man.
So what drives him to keep pushing their project to completion?
It’s simple. “I want to honor all our veterans. They deserve it,” he said.