Done proudly in the name of the Forestry Forum.

[Jeff]

Not long ago I was approached about building a website for an organization in my home town, Coleman Michigan.

In May of 2007 the Zylman Family lost their son Casey in Iraq. They wanted to do something to honor Casey's memory. Randy Zylman served with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam, and Casey also served with the 25th Infantry as a Calvary Scout during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After much thought it was decided that they wanted to honor the Coleman Community and all Area Veterans with something bigger. The Coleman Veterans Memorial Committee was founded.  Many of these committee members are friends that I grew up with in Coleman.

The Memorial that has come to be, to honor all veterans, is really a world class memorial. I am so proud of my home town and this committee for what they were able to achieve and what they continue to achieve.

Someone a little while back sent me a note that they were looking for someone to host and redesign their website. I got a hold of them and told them that we would be proud to host their website if they so desired, and that I'd arrange for the web designer to have everything he needed to build the site. I was asked to come to one of their committee meetings and I went to just consult and let them know that the web space would be taken care of. The next day after the meeting they called and asked me if they could hire me to do it. I was not really wanting to build a website right now due to my escalating vision problems, but was honored they would ask me, so after thinking about it committed to the project. 

While working on this project, my father seemed to be all about me. I visited the Memorial more than once and was moved each time I was there. So. through the trials of not being able to see much of what I was doing, but being inspired and driven by the cause, I was able to get the website to a place where they launched it this week.

I've let them know that the website is a gift to them from the Forestry Forum. I encourage you to visit the website and explore it, and visit their webpage. I encourage you to watch the video memorial made when Casey died before you go to the home page. I do believe that this has been, and may always be, the most important website I will ever have built and it was truly an honor to be able to do so.

www.colemanveteransmemorial.org

http://youtu.be/5cMGIHs0o4A



 

[Warbird]

Well done, Jeff.  God bless you.

[CHARLIE]

Excellent Jeff. It means something really special when it is done from the heart. Thumbs up.

[hardtailjohn]

Very nice! Like was said above..God Bless You! 

[sandhills]

That's a very nice tribute Jeff!

[m wood]

First class site Jeff.  That memorial is an awesome thing the community will be proud of for generations

[clww]

Great work, Jeff!

[ellmoe]

   That's great Jeff. You should be very proud. That is one of those accomplishments that you will always remember.
smiley_applause

Mark

[drobertson]

Outstanding Jeff! very well done,   david

[Chuck White]

Well done Jeff.

Thanks from another vet!  ;)

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Fantastic Job Jeff. You cant help but feel that you poured your true heart into this project. You are a great man.

[Bill Gaiche]

That was really a great piece of work. You never know what tomorrow will bring until that day comes. People will seek you and you deliver from your heart and soul so others can cherish and hold in their hearts what you have presented to them. That is a great deed you have done. bg

[21incher]

Great job Jeff. people like you help pull communities through tough times.

[Corley5]

Very nice Jeff  8) 8) 8)

[pigman]

 8) :'( :'(

[Texas Ranger]

Amen, brother.

[Jeff]

Thank you, but all i did was build a website. The people that are on the committee that have brought the memorial to existence and the people that that (tom) memorial honors, they are the ones that deserve all the praise. I am proud that I and you guys as well are now associated with them.

The Saturday before Memorial Day, there will be a Fund Raising concert wilt Molly Hatchet. Last year it was John Micheal Montgomery. On Memorial Day there will be an installation service of the World War 1 statue. He will be placed in a position as if he was approaching the other soldiers, with one foot up onto the center, as if stepping up to join them.

[Magicman]

Wow Jeff, what an honor it was for you to be a part of this project and I fully understand why you could not step away from doing what your heart led you to do.  You did it and indeed did it well.

The content within the website is very moving and so well thought out and presented.  You and everyone else involved have honored your military hero's in a very fitting way.  Bravo.

[Autocar]

Very nice !

[rhino135]

Very well done Jeff. You should be proud!!!!!!

[SawyerBrown]

Jeff, what a great tribute to our veterans, not just the video but the efforts by your community to work together to recognize them in such a great way.  Your website facilitates that like nothing else can.  You should be extremely proud (in a good way), and I know the Forestry Forum members are proud of you and for you.  Well done.

It also reminded me again that we all have contributions to make to the world in which we live, regardless of our age, health (including eyesight), social status, or any other thing that might make us think or say we no longer have anything to contribute.  There are always opportunities for each and every one of us if we only look and put our God-given talents to good use.

[blackfoot griz]

Jeff,
Give yourself a little more credit! 
You put all of the pieces of the puzzle together in a wonderful format.
Well done, sir.  Well done!

[Jeff]

I got an idea yesterday for an addition to the website. I've already figured out how to do it, and have built the back end database and scripts.  I just need the data for it.

There will be a way to view each memorial brick placed in the memorial. You will be able to search out the bricks by name on brick, donor, era (WW2, Vietnam, korea,etc..). Your search will then return an image of the brick as well as a map to locate it in the memorial. I've been resting a lot and vegetating as ordered, waiting to go to the U of M Tuesday. I may not be able to sit in front of the computer and work things out, but I can sure do it from the couch.  That is similar to how the Forestry Forum was built. I spent so many years in that saw booth, that it was almost like I was on autopilot up there. I would use all those hours at the mill to work out in my head how to solve technical things during the website development. I could then just go home and do them quickly and efficiently.  Its some times a curse at night to work like that. Rather than sleep, I just want to think sometimes. :D

[T Welsh]

I,m proud to be associated with you Jeff and the Forestry Forum. I am in the midst of researching my fathers WW2 records of service at this very moment and seeing this tribute to our fallen and the ones that have served in the defense of our freedom and beliefs has brought a smile to my face, knowing that I and others like you will never forget the sacrifices these men have made. Thank you for being a man of honor and integrity! Tim

[goose63]

Thank you Jeff you did a fine job
that young man is a cavalry trooper he is now in a place we old troopers call fiddlers green when its my turn to go I will meet him and some old friends there
THANK YOU agin