Veterans mural creation inspires at IAC plant

The veterans' hallway at IAC is the brainchild of the Veterans Committee at IAC and of Stephen Edwards. The collaboration resulted in a mural that showed monuments common in the Washington, D.C., landscape. The veterans committee presented Edwards with a plaque for his effort in producing the mural. Participating in the ceremony are Randall Pinegai (Navy, 22 years), David Carrier (Air Force, 14 years), John Slater (Navy, 12 years and Army, 5 years), Jerry Boller (Army, 2 years) and Joe Hrdcha (Army, 12 years).

The veterans committee at the International Automotive Components (IAC) plant in Greencastle has dedicated a hallway to the veterans that work there.

Artist Stephen Edwards took several ideas that the committee had come up with and ran with them. Edwards and the committee's ideas resulted in a hallway that depicts national monuments seen in Washington, D.C., and pulling words from some of President Abraham Lincoln's speeches.

"The quote of Lincoln's really reflects on everyone," Charlie Jones, a member and one of the original planners of the memorial hallway, commented.

The hallway originally came about when the veterans committee members asked for a space to create a mural. The interim plant manager at the time gave the committee permission to use the hallway and told them to "go for it."

"I was given the entail ideas, and I brought it to life." Edwards said.

This is not the first project the committee has undertaken to help improve IAC Several years ago the committee helped to erect a monument on the grounds.

"Everyone in the plant loves it," John Slater, another member and coordinator of the project, said of the mural. "We've gotten much positive feedback."

The veterans committee has more projects in store for the future.

In the near future the committee will be having a rummage sale at the armory to help support and raise money for disabled vets in the spring.