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LEWISTOWN - The wait is over - a year long restoration of the Mifflin County Veterans Memorial monument located at Lewistown's Victory Park was completed June 24, just in time for upcoming community festivities.

"Its been a struggle to get it done for RiverFEST this weekend," said Terry Wade, President of the Mifflin County Veterans Association.

"This effort taken on by the Mifflin County Veterans Association and our continuous efforts are to honor all the veterans - past, present and future," Wade said. "We (the association) would like to especially thank state Sen. Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, and his legislative aide John Brenneman, contractor Steven Mitchell, Lewistown Monument Company and the Borough of Lewistown," Wade continued, adding that none of the local tax payers money had been used to fund the project.

On April 8, 2008, the Mifflin County Veterans Association received a check for $25,000 to fund the project, said Mifflin County Veterans Association Treasurer Ken Schucht. The money was awarded to the association through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development with the help of Corman's office.

Two plaques that appear on two of the columns of the monument were restored by Lewistown Monument Company and replaced on the monument. The plaques read, "Dedicated to those who bore arms in all wars and that the stately trend of patriots may always be the tradition of our land."

Wade said the plaques are original to the monument but previously covered two time capsules which were stolen. The time capsules had contained records of Mifflin County veterans going back to the Revolutionary War.

Crider-Mitchell Construction Company was the contractor on the project which subcontracted to a company based out of Berwick that specializes in monument restoration. The restoration included cleaning, repairing and sealing of the concrete monument.

The veterans association also has plans to landscape the hill area behind the monument sometime during this year. Schucht said they will be working with a retired landscape artist to improve the area.