By Kathy AntoniottiBeacon Journal staff writer CLINTON: When Ken Noon saw a photo of Mayor Allen “Al” Knack standing behind his handmade nameplate of cardboard and black marker, the image jumped out at him.“My first thought was, ‘Oh, that poor sap needs a plaque,’ ” said Noon, owner of Summit Memorials on Wilbeth Road in Akron.At the time, Noon didn’t realize he and Knack share a common goal: to increase interest in the Ohio Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Park.That both men share a passion for promoting the Clinton landmark didn’t register at first, Noon said. He didn’t know Knack is eager to spotlight the memorial park and is urging people to view it as a tourist destination and as a teaching tool for students.Noon’s first thought: He could rectify the nameplate situation by replacing the cardboard sign with one made of granite, similar to the material he has used to construct memorials at the park.Noon, a member of the park’s board and its project manager, produced all the granite work at the Clinton memorial, including a POW/MIA reflecting pond, more than 50 granite benches and a 125-foot wall, “the longest free-standing monument in the state,” he said.Fronting the wall are the names of 3,095 Ohio soldiers who were killed in action during the Vietnam War. The back of the wall explains the history of every war America has been involved in beginning with the War of 1812, including etchings of soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the time period. Eventually, committee members hope to raise enough money to add the names of the 1,777 Ohioans who died in the Korean War. Each name costs $60 to engrave, Noon said.This year, the committee will unveil the engraved names of the 276 Ohio soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, including 16 soldiers who died in the Gulf War.To finance the project, the committee is sponsoring an Aug. 4 event featuring a 5K run, a classic car show and a daylong concert with 12 bands. Anyone who sponsors a soldier for $60 will receive a T-shirt with the soldier’s name and the veterans park logo, Noon said.Knack, who was presented with his new nameplate at Tuesday evening’s council meeting, said he appreciates Noon’s desire to make his desk at Village Hall a bit swankier.“It’s nice that a small town has people who come together to help each other,” he said.Noon said small towns played a huge role in the lives of the veterans who are being honored at the park.“Eighty percent of the names on the wall represent soldiers that come from small towns in Ohio like Clinton,” he said.Knack, who took office Jan. 1, said he is proud to represent the village as its mayor and the park in particular.“I hope we can promote it statewide and beyond,” he said.Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.