The Village of Elkhart Veterans’ Park renovation project has been awarded a preservation grant for World War I monumentS in need of conservation, repair, stabilization or other restoration treatment. The park is home to a WWI Doughboy statue that was presented to the village by the returning veterans of World War I in honor of the men who did not return from that war. Since then, plaques have been added to the statue with the names of other Elkhart soldiers killed in action. To qualify for the grant, it was determined that the village’s Doughboy statue has architectural, historical, and cultural significance to the state, region, and community. The statue is listed in the Illinois statewide survey of monuments to soldiers and veterans of the Great War. The grant will be used to clean and repair the statue and the overall site, including electricity, plumbing and drainage, and renovation work. “Volunteer help, landscaping plants and monetary donations are needed to complete the work,” says Peggy Lee, a Village of Elkhart Trustee. Donations can be made to the Veterans’ Park Fund via P.O. Box 20, Elkhart, IL 62634.