A New Sign for the Veterans Village | Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond resident and Navy veteran Rick Moran spearheaded the creation of a new permanent sign for Veterans Village, a housing complex for formerly homeless veterans located along Highway 9 in Ben Lomond. Moran served on a submarine during the Vietnam War and later became commander of the “Maverick” 5888 Veterans of Foreign Wars post, known for advocating peace during the 1980s. In recent years, he supported the conversion of the former Jaye’s Timberlane Resort cabins into long-term housing for veterans. While he appreciated the community’s investment, he felt the village needed a more permanent sign than the temporary banner that had marked the entrance.
Moran began sketching concepts for a more fitting sign and turned to his neighbor, Humble Sea Brewing co-founder Nick Pavlina, who owns a machine capable of producing detailed routing woodwork. The two collaborated on a design that would reflect the character of the San Lorenzo Valley — durable, understated and reminiscent of state park signage. “Working with Nick was great,” Moran said. “He’s been a neighbor for a long time and he’s a big strong guy so that also helped with the heavy lifting.”
Moran became deeply involved in the project, drawing on memories of relatives and fellow veterans whose stories shaped his life and service.
The sign was constructed of redwood using lumber sourced locally from Scarborough Lumber. Moran said, “It had to be redwood, that’s who we are.” Designed with longevity and simplicity in mind, the final components were completed on Veterans Day. Moran sees the sign as a small but meaningful contribution to a broader community effort to support veterans.
Mary Andersen is a journalist and Publisher of the San Lorenzo Valley Post, an independent publication dedicated to the people, politics, environment, and cultures of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Contact mary@slvpost.com
