[Editor’s Note: Dr. Hoult spoke these words at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.]
Honorable Mayor O’Leary and City Council members,
This past weekend as we celebrated Memorial Day, Charley and I walked through our neighborhood and into Carlson Park. As we looked at the sign and the marker on the corner, we thought about the man in whose memory our park was named.
Culver City’s Carlson Memorial Park
by Janet Hoult
Each year we celebrate Memorial Day
Remembering those we’ve lost in many ways
Parades and flags, speeches and tears
Honoring those who have died through the years
Veterans of wars fought throughout the world
And bravery in countries so far afield
Culver City celebrates a brave man every day
And Carlson Park can remind us of the way
He showed his courage as a medical missionary
In the Congo Republic saving lives far away
Dr. Paul Carlson was born in our town
A doctor who didn’t let humanity down
He stayed in Africa to save people with his skill
But those who fought the civil war didn’t care who they killed
So Culver City residents, when you visit Carlson Park
Just remember the man who gave his life and the spark
That moved our city to rename Victory Park as a memorial
To Dr. Paul Carlson who gave his skills, his life, his all.
Thank you City Councils of years past for providing a memorial to a man whose self-sacrifice sets an example for all of us.
Dr. Hoult may be contacted at HOULTight@aol.com
