City of Ely uses 150th birthday celebration to raise money for all veterans memorial

ELY, Iowa (KCRG) - The city of Ely celebrated `its 150th anniversary Saturday with a huge celebration: pie eating competition, food, and live music.

All the money raised that day went towards building an all-veterans memorial in downtown Ely as part of the city’s revitalization project.

“It’s been needed for so long; we need to recognize our veterans,” said Ely Mayor Eldy Miller.

That includes Rob Smith, who not only has lived in Ely for 30 years but is also a veteran. He served between 1982 and 1985.

“I was a young man, and it was a pretty exciting time,” said Smith. “The Grenada invasion happened without any notification at all; so, one morning, I woke up, and off I went.”

Mayor Miller said Monday, August 8, 2022, Aureon and South Slope Cooperative Communications provided a total of $10,000 to the American Legion to build the memorial.

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