By Ruth Longoria

Rata tata tat tat. Boom boom boom. Rata tata tat tat. Boom boom.

Seven-year-old Brownies Sophie Chang and Zoe Thompson marched solemnly to the cadence of the Mercer Island High School marching band on Memorial Day. Flags waived from the crowd Monday morning as about 350 Islanders and a few patriotically dressed pets watched Sophie and Zoe, Girl Scouts and the VFW color guard begin the ceremony at Mercerdale Park to dedicate the Veterans’ Recognition Public Art Project.

After a few years of public input and searching for the perfect art object to provide a place where Islanders could gather to commemorate the heroic service of all branches of the military, the city’s Arts Council selected the 6,500-pound burgundy-red pergola. Created by welder and artist Richard Frombach, the structure was delivered to the park in pieces last week and assembled in time for the dedication ceremony.

Though obviously not veterans themselves, Sophie and Zoe said they were proud to be part of a ceremony that honored soldiers and former military, such as Zoe’s grandpa, James Barbee, of Bellevue, a World War II veteran.

“This memorial is important for the people who fought for us,” Zoe said after the ceremony.

That was the feeling of most of the crowd, including 85-year-old Kiwanis member Stan Luce. Luce, who has lived on Mercer Island for about 25 years, served in the Air Force for five years during WW II.

“This is a great celebration and remembrance for our veterans. I think it’s great,” Luce said.

Though he wasn’t consulted about the choice of the artwork memorial that now graces the park, Luce said he’s very pleased with the Art Council’s selection.

“It’s well-designed, not ostentatious or too decorative,” Luce said. “It’s plain and solid and represents well how the veteran’s every day look.”

The design of the structure was fascinating to 10-year-old West Mercer Elementary School students Nikolas Middtun and Ben Peterson, who ran their hands up and down the steel legs that hold up the domed pergola. The boys and Nikolas’ dad, Svein Middtun, walked down the hill to watch the ceremony after hearing the music and applause from the crowd. Nikolas said they hadn’t seen the pergola being put together last week.

“Wow! Is this permanent?” Nikolas asked his dad. “I like it,” he added.

“It’s cool,” Ben agreed.

Svien Middtun, who served in the Norwegian Army during the 1970s, said he and the boys were impressed by the medallions on the inner beam of the pergola, which honor all five branches of the military: the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.

In his native Norway, Middtun said, young men are required to serve in the country’s military for a minimum of one-year.

“Norway has more of a peace-keeping army,” he said. “It’s good in this country that people can choose and it’s a volunteer military, that impresses me. Thank God we have people who are willing to join the services and fight to keep this country free.”

Betty Harper, 58, and her daughter Michelle, 24, attended the ceremony with Michelle’s fiancé, Jason Wilbur, and the family’s border collie dog, Chip, who sported a red-white-and-blue bandana around his neck.

Wilbur, 25, is stationed at McChord Air Force Base, but lives on the Island.

Harper’s husband, Bob, 60, is a Vietnam veteran and carried the American flag with the color guard during the ceremony.

“It’s good to have a recognition like this. This is one of the times my husband can really be proud,” Betty Harper said.

Eight-year-old West Mercer students Devin Nelson and Riley McCleery said the dedication was a chance to pay their respects and learn about veterans. The boys waved small flags as the ceremony started.

“This is pretty neat,” Devin said. “I’ve never met a veteran before. I’m excited to find out why they did what they did.”

City Manager Rich Conrad said he was glad so many Mercer Island folk turned out to dedicate the pergola. For the most part, Islanders are pretty patriotic, he said, so, having a patriotic focal point at Mercerdale Park will be useful at several holidays throughout the year, as well as for other special events.

“This is exactly what the park needed,” Conrad said. “The pergola fits the park exactly. It’s classy and, though it took a lot of time and work, it was worth the wait.”