Aspire’s first memorial is in place
Standing at the Service and Sacrifice Memorial at 8:46 a.m. Sept. 11, 2020, as the first spire of the structure is put into place, are, from left: Andrew Smiddy, Paula Mc- Queen, Amanda Fritts, Joe Hollingsworth Jr., Nicci Hollingsworth, Brenda Starwalt, J.D. King, and Tom Wortham.
The multi-purpose legacy park has been making steady progress despite ever-changing weather conditions and a global pandemic.
While the two milestones reached are true “milestones,” they won’t be the last Aspire will attain.
The first was the park’s “Premier Resort Designation,” which allows “Aspire the ability to serve adult beverages anywhere on the premises and enabling at types of events.”
The bottom line is this designation will support surrounding tourism as well as “national and regional marketing, including magazine publication possibilities.”
Make no mistake, that’s a big deal and should draw new visitors to Clinton and Anderson County.
The designation was signed by Governor Lee and awarded by the State General Assembly on June 15.
The second milestone is the Spires.
The Spires is the anchor of the Service and Sacrifice Memorial (SASM) in Aspire.
While work continued on the community building, the planting of trees, grading the meadow area, and shaping the numerous trails, the first section of the Spires was set in place at 8:46 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 — 19 years to the minute the first jet struck the north face of the North Tower in New York.
The Spires is 36-feet tall, is of stainless steel construction bead blasted to be “brilliant,” but not shiny. The area around the Spires will be landscaped and there will be a space to “honor and reflect.” Uplighting will be put in place so the Spires can be seen at night. It is also visible when traveling from either direction on US 25W.
“We designed the Spires to proudly represent the 13 original colonies and the base of the memorial will morph into the 50 states,” Hollingsworth Foundation President Joe Hollingsworth said.
The Spires ascend at one-foot increments from the base with the shortest being 24-feet tall and the tallest at 36-feet.
The SASM will also honor all six service branches of the United States — including the newly formed Space Force.
An additional 9-11 memorial will also be erected: A half-scale replica of the Liberty Bell of bronze construction, but it will contain steel from all three of the 9-11 attack sites, the North and South Towers and the Pentagon.
“The Aspire Foundation’s philosophy behind the Service and Sacrifice Memorial is to honor the heroism and bravery of all that have served in the past, along with those fulfilling their duty in the present,” said Hollingsworth Foundation Executive Director Mike Wallace.
A lot of planning and a lot of thought have been dedicated to Aspire, but extra special attention was placed on the Service and Sacrifice Memorial.
Wallace said there were numerous designs submitted and looked over before the final selection was made.
When the foundation saw the design, Wallace said, “They knew.”