The Origin of the Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza

Shoreline Veterans' Recognition Plaza

Look for the veterans group at the Shoreline Farmers Market

August 13 and September 10, 2022

The Origin of the Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza

By Doug Cerretti

Photos courtesy Shoreline Veterans Association except as noted

It all began over ice cream. 

In early 2010, Veterans Frank Moll and Bob Grasmick were attending an ice cream social at Ridgecrest elementary school. Frank was sitting at a table when Bob approached and asked what he was up to. 

Dwight Stevens, left, and Frank Moll, right taking brick orders
at a community event. Photo by Jerry Pickard.

Frank said he was working on à plan to honor veterans in Shoreline. As they continued talking Bob invited Frank to join Starr Sutherland, Jr Post 227 of The American Legion and Frank said he would join if Bob would join him to help with the plan to honor veterans. 

Both agreed. Soon after, Frank Moll recruited Dwight Stevens to work on the project and the Shoreline Veterans Association was formed with Frank Moll as Founder and Dwight Stevens as Chairman. 

Bob Grasmick, left, being presented a certificate by Commander Larry Fisher.
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Besides Moll, Grasmick and Stevens, other Legion Post 227 members joined the Shoreline Veterans Association including Raymond Coffey, Russell Greaby, Gerry Shogren and Post 227 Auxiliary members Lois Grasmick (Bob's wife), Phyllis Moll (Frank's wife) and Marcia Sanders. 

Other members who joined the Association were Sonny Alvarez, John Fahnestock, Marcie Riedinger and Lynn Cheney. 

On July 28, 2014 the Shoreline City Council voted 7 to 0 for approval of the Veterans Recognition Plaza after a presentation by Dick Deal, City Parks Director, and Dwight Stevens, Chairman of the Shoreline Veterans Association. 

Architect's design

The Association then set to work with a goal of building a Veterans Recognition Plaza adjacent to Shoreline City Hall. Post 227 Member, Chris Eggen, who at the time was Shoreline Deputy Mayor, helped secure the cooperation of the city and an architect was commissioned to design the plaza. 

Next began the campaign of raising the needed funds. The Veterans Recognition Plaza would contain five benches, five granite obelisks representing the military services, a flagpole at the center of the plaza and an area paved with red bricks that could be engraved to honor a veteran.

Whenever veteran-related meetings occurred over the next several years, you would see Dwight Stevens manning a table, selling bricks to raise funds. 

Dwight Stevens and County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

In addition the Starr Sutherland, Jr. Post 227 of The American Legion made a significant contribution and King County Councilman Rod Dembowski arranged for the county to make a large contribution for the project. 

When it became clear that the needed funding would be forthcoming, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site of July 6, 2015. After six years from inception the plaza was completed and a dedication ceremony was held May 21, 2016. 

Groundbreaking

The plaza is a thing of beauty and a fitting tribute to the many veterans who have served and future veterans who are currently serving their nation. Unfortunately, Frank Moll passed away before seeing the results of the project he started.

Dwight and Helen Stevens at the dedication

The nearly 500 bricks that are already in place at the Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza by Shoreline City Hall are a permanent reminder of our Friends and Relatives who have served in the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines to preserve our hard earned and fought for Freedoms.

The Veterans Recognition Plaza is located north of Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline 98133.

Buy a Brick

Engraved bricks to honor Veterans past and present can be purchased for a $100 donation. A single brick can be engraved with the Veteran's name, service branch and years served. You can choose to have your brick engraved at the Plaza or shipped to you to display at home. This would be a great gift to honor a Veteran family member or friend.

Bricks can be purchased online from The American Legion Post 227’s webpage or you can print out the order form, fill it out and mail it in with your check or credit card number. Purchases are tax deductible as the Shoreline Veterans Association is a 501 (c) 19 non-profit.

In the near future, the Shoreline Veterans Association will have a booth at Shoreline Farmers Market https://shorelinefarmersmarket.org/home 

August 13 and September 10 from 10 am to 2 pm. 

Sample bricks will be displayed and orders taken.