The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners was recently honored as the recipient of the 1776-2026 Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) America 250! Commendation Certificate and Medal. The award was presented to the Board during the Tuesday, September 19, 2023, regular meeting by the Choctawhatchee Bay Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
“I am thankful and humbled that the DAR would recognize the entire County with this distinction,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel. “As a DAR member, I am aware of how prestigious and rare it is to be awarded with this honor. The County has achieved so much in its efforts to recognize service members and we will continue this tradition long into the future.”
The medal and certificate recognize non-DAR members and groups that have demonstrated extraordinary efforts to not only honor the men and women who achieved American Independence, but also to educate others about their service and sacrifice. Examples of meritorious service may include erecting, rediscovering, restoring, and/or rededicating Revolutionary War-related monuments, plaques, gravesites and other memorials in communities through publicly celebrated projects or events.
In 2019, the Board approved creating the Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park currently located on Okaloosa Island. The park was opened to the public in 2021 and features eight life-sized bronze statues of women who fought in United States military conflicts dating back to the American Revolution.
The Board approved expanding the park at Tuesday’s meeting with additional walking paths and four more bronze statues. Both phases of the park are funded with tourism bed tax revenue. Donations have also been accepted for the second phase.
Learn more about the DAR’s participation in the 250th anniversary of the United States at https://www.dar.org/.
Learn more about the Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park at https://myokaloosa.com/bcc/women-veterans-memorial.
