BETHANY, OKLAHOMA — OCTOBER 22, 2025 — After years of planning and persistence, the Bethany Veteran’s Plaza has found its home. On Tuesday night, the Bethany City Council approved the project’s location on the grounds east of City Hall, following a presentation from Lawrence Ross of the Bethany Improvement Foundation (BIF).

The Plaza is a community-led effort to honor those who served and create a space for reflection and connection. Designed by internationally known local sculptor Scott Stearman, it will feature bronze figures, vertical plinths engraved with veterans’ names, and thoughtful landscaping tied into the nearby library, all-abilities playground, and small businesses.

“We’re not just building a tribute,” said Ross. “We’re building a space where memory lives alongside our routines. Where families can sit, talk, and be reminded that service and sacrifice shaped the place they call home.”

The project also includes a digital platform to preserve and share stories from Bethany’s veteran community, offering a fuller picture of service across generations.

Built by Bethany, for Bethany

This initiative is entirely community-driven — from concept to funding to future care. It reflects a shared commitment to remembrance, gratitude, and belonging.

“The Plaza isn’t just a destination,” Ross added. “It’s a commitment — to the people who served, and to the kind of town we want to be.”

How to Help

The Bethany Improvement Foundation invites residents and organizations to help bring the vision to life — by donating, sharing a veteran’s story, or simply spreading the word.

Send donations to:

Bethany Improvement Foundation

Attn: Holliann Snelson, Treasurer

P.O. Box 218

Bethany, OK 73008

(Checks payable to Bethany Improvement Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.)