Workers swept mortar sand most of the morning Thursday as they worked to place bricks around the Veteran’s Memorial at Atmore City Hall.

Jimmy Beck, one of the organizers of the work, said bricks purchased as a tribute or memorial to veterans were being put in place this week.

“We have sold 324 bricks to be placed around the monument,” Beck said. “We have bricks in memory or in honor of veterans placed around the monument.”

Beck said residents and families have purchased bricks with non-veterans’ names engraved on the face of the brick to show their support.

“Not every brick out here has the name of a veteran on it,” Beck said. “We have sold several bricks to people who bought them just to show their support of the monument and this work.”

Beck said bricks bearing the names of veterans encircle the monument while bricks bearing names of supporters line the paths leading to the base of the monument.

“We have space for 3,247 bricks in this design,” Beck said. “We have plenty more bricks that we could sell.”

Bricks, for a veteran or supporter, are $100 each with a portion of the proceeds funding perpetual care and continuous landscaping at the site of the memorial.

“There will be continual upkeep on the memorial site,” Beck said. “We have landscaping that we will be doing and all of that will have to be cared for through the years. Part of the money paid for the brick will go toward taking care of the expenses of that upkeep.”

The monument sits on a 60-foot by 60-foot area across the parking lot directly in front of the Atmore Fire Department’s location at Atmore City Hall.

“This is what we have right now for a space for the memorial,” Beck said. “The size of the area could grow over the years. As long as there are wars we will have veterans and the number of bricks in honor of those veterans could grow.”

As bricks are purchased to be placed at the monument, Beck said blank bricks would be replaced.

“The sand that’s put here acts as a mortar to hold the bricks in place,” Beck said. “They can be removed to be replaced when the time comes. Taking out a blank brick to put another one in is something we can certainly do at any time.”

A special dedication service is planned for the memorial in May, Beck said.

“We though it would be nice to have the dedication on Memorial Day,” Beck said. “That will be at 10 a.m. on May 30 with some speakers already planned for the day. It’s going to be a big day and everyone is invited. We’ll have some officials and dignitaries that day and we want everyone to join us for the dedication.”

Beck said anyone interested in purchasing a brick in honor or memory of a veteran or to show their support can do so by contacting any American Legion member.

“They can come by the Legion building on Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. until noon,” Beck said. “They can also come by on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the American Legion office or the VFW office.”

For those unable to get to either location, Beck can be reached by calling 368-5911.