Oakwood Resort will soon be the site of three new memorial benches. Three granite benches will sit on the property to honor Ken Robinson, Cole Brembeck and Howard Brembeck. Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce is in charge of arranging the purchasing and placement of the benches.

In order to pay for the granite benches and to memorialize additional residents of the area the chamber is allowing people to purchase pavers. These pavers will be placed around the benches and will be inscribed with a loved one’s name.

The cost of a paver is $75, all of which will go toward the benches. The chamber hopes to have 50 pavers purchased in order to cover the full cost of the benches. Each of the benches will have the name and the years of life of the honoree inscribed onto them. Ryan Mishler and staff of Mishler Memorials is donating the inscribing to help with the costs of the memorial.

Each of the three honorees have a specific tie to Oakwood Resort. The benches will sit in the grass area right across from the main entrance of the building. This location was chosen so anyone who will sit in the benches to honor the men would be able to look out and see Lake Wawasee.

Robinson was an ordained minister who served for 14 years as pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church. Robinson was the person who came up with the idea of boat-in worship, a tradition continuing today. In 2009 Robinson served as the commodore of the Wawasee Flotilla.

Cole Brembeck was best known for overseeing the construction of Oakwood and devoting himself to its fundraising efforts. Brembeck served as superintendent of schools in several districts and as the head of teacher training at Michigan State University. In 1994 Brembeck was named director of development at Oakwood.

Howard Brembeck was the financial and leadership provider for the construction of Oakwood Inn. He provided $22 million for construction and physical improvements of the resort. Brembeck founded and built Chore-Time Brock in 1952. He also founded the non-profit Forth Freedom Forum which is dedicated to eliminating weapons of mass destruction and preventing military aggression.

These three men, along with many others, will be remembered for many years to come at Oakwood Resort. The memorial will become a reality when enough pavers have been purchased to fund the cost of the benches. The hope is each paver will honor the life of someone, who like these three men, deserve to be remembered for their life and dedication to the community.

Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce will be distributing informational brochures about the three honorees and the purchase of pavers throughout the area at businesses and restaurants. Either send in the paver order to the address listed on the brochure or stop by the chamber’s office.