BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
The City of DeLand is set to name a pavilion at Bill Dreggors Park, 230 N. Stone St., in honor of two citizens who have dedicated their lives to advocating for military veterans.
The City Commission this month approved naming the pavilion, “The West/Friend Pavilion,” after Jim West and Dan Friend, both DeLand natives.
Friend was instrumental in raising funds for the pavilion and is one of the lead organizers of veterans events in DeLand such as the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies held annually at the park. He is also military curator for the DeLand Memorial Hospital & Veterans Museum located at Bill Dreggors Park. West sold the bricks for the pathway to the pavilion and also maintains the flowers and plants at the pavilion.
“Jim West and Dan Friend have done so much at and for Dreggors Park and the Museum that naming the pavilion in their honor is well deserved,” said Mayor Bob Apgar. “The pavilion likely would not have been built without the tenacity of Dan and Jim in urging the city that it was needed for events at the park.”
The pavilion will be dedicated as a part of Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony, which will begin at 10 a.m. at Bill Dreggors Park. The City of DeLand Fire Department Honor Guard will present the colors and the U.S. Marine Corps League Detachment 1144 will conduct a rifle salute in honor of our fallen soldiers. Apgar will speak along with guest speaker, Brig. Gen. William C. Feyk, U.S. Army (Retired).
— DeLand Community Information Manager Chris Graham
