HONESDALE, PA — The Wayne County Commissioners granted approval for the placement of a memorial to female veterans and active-duty women in the military on the lawn of the Dimmick Building near the 9-11 Memorial.

Local community organizer Kim Erickson has proposed installing a monument dedicated to women in military service. Erickson was also the driving force behind the development of the Walk of Honor, commemorating the names and locations of all the veterans buried in Wayne County Cemetery. That park-like installation stands on the opposite side of the Wayne County Courthouse.

Erickson suggested the Dimmick Building because it was the original home of Wayne Memorial Hospital, and many of the first women in the military served as nurses.

While the design of the monument is being finalized, the fundraising is already underway through the Wayne County Community Foundation, and the goal is to have it ready for Female Veterans Day on June 12.

Wayne County’s first full-time Veterans Affairs director, Victoria Wargo, a female veteran herself, supports the project, which also includes collecting the stories of female veterans and active-duty personnel, living or deceased, with a connection to the region. The stories will be compiled into a booklet issued as part of the dedication of the monument.

Those interested can email their story to kimeric1967@yahoo.com by Sunday, April 30. There will be no stories accepted after that deadline. For more information, call Kim Erickson at 570/251-7741.