Happy belated Philip Blake Day

Wichita's unofficial keeper of what he rightly calls a "priceless asset" got his due Tuesday at the Wichita City Council, when Vice Mayor Lavonta Williams read a proclamation declaring it Philip Blake Day. Blake, an 87-year-old World War II veteran, was properly honored for his dedication to the maintenance and long-term oversight of Veterans Memorial Park and other local veterans monuments, including the World War II memorial scheduled for a ribbon-cutting Nov. 12 and a Revolutionary War monument due in 2013. As the proclamation urged, Wichitans can best honor Blake's important legacy by lending "physical and financial support for his efforts in keeping all veteran memorials alive for generations to come."

This story was originally published September 15, 2011 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Happy belated Philip Blake Day."