In the past five years, the Dartmouth Veterans Advisory Board has raised about $15,000 and sold 110 commemorative bricks to help fund the proposed veterans memorial on Dartmouth Street. However, the board is calling on residents to help it reach its $30,000 goal before another five years pass.

The Veterans Memorial Grove has been designed as an oasis for servicemen and women, their families, and their neighbors to remember and appreciate the services of the military. It will include a central gazebo — donated by the Council on Aging — framed by a brick walkway, granite benches, and landscaping.

The board aims to raise $30,000 via donations and sell more than 200 commemorative bricks to help finish the memorial on the Council on Aging grounds by November 11 — Veterans Day — this year. However, without official nonprofit status, getting corporate sponsorships is a challenge, said officials.

"We rely basically on town residents because we're not a 501(c)3," said Veterans Service Officer Roy Oliveira, explaining that businesses hesitate to donate because it's not a tax write-off like most nonprofits.

To compensate, the board has placed donation slips in with the excise tax bills that will be mailed out on February 1. It's the fourth year the board has tried to raise funds this way, but there is some frustration involved.

"If 25,000 slips go out, and each one generated a dollar, we'd have been done several years ago. But it doesn't work that way," said board Vice Chair Norm Gunderson.

That doesn’t mean the board isn’t appreciative of the donations that have been made. So far, Schumacher Companies have donated three palettes of bricks to lay out a path around the gazebo, while other companies have pledged labor, and a Korean War veteran donated $1,500 to pay for one of the six benches.

The benches will represent World War I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the War on Terror, and Prisoners of War, and the names of residents who have been lost to each will be engraved into the bench.

"We don't have one central location where we have all of those [names]," said Oliveira, explaining that the idea stemmed from Dartmouth's lack of a Korean War memorial. The officials explained that Dartmouth has lost 34 residents to the service, but none in the Korean War.

"Those 34 names are spread out all over the town, and if you don't know where they are, you'll never find them. The idea is that all 34 come home together," said Gunderson, who is excited about creating the memorial on CoA grounds.

"It seems like that's where all the veterans show up playing pool, playing cards, and playing horseshoe," he said.

The fundraising efforts don’t end with the mailed slips. The team also sells "I support Dartmouth Veterans" wristbands ($1), commemorative coins ($10), and hosts occasional car shows and dances.

"This is specifically for the veteran related items," said board Chairman Al Oliveira. "There's no money to be made out of this."

Anyone interested in honoring a veteran in their life can also purchase a four-by-eight-inch commemorative brick for $50. This is not exclusive to Dartmouth residents, said officials. The engraved bricks will be laid out around the memorial pathway to complete the project, however, board members hope this will be an ongoing process as more people purchase bricks.

Board members will also host a drive outside of Stop & Shop on Faunce Corner Road on May 13, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Participants will receive a wristband.

Contact Roy Oliveira at (508) 910-1818 or roliveira@town.dartmouth.ma.us for more information.