Public urged to get involved in project
By Kristopher Dahir
Sparks City Councilman
For many years, I have had the honor of working with young students in order to invest core responsibilities like honor, respect, integrity, and personal sacrifice. The Nevada Veterans Memorial will be a place where all of these valuable qualities will be on display for many generations to come. It will be a place for us to honor the 894 men and women from the state of Nevada who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
This memorial will be for personal reflection, yearly memorial events, and serve as a destination that shows respect for each branch of the military. It will include a historical presentation that will creatively show a timeline of every large military movement and the battle we have fought since Nevada became a state in 1864. It will also serve as a tool to help us preserve our state history and teach future generations about the sacrifices made. Our goal is that this will serve as a memorial to those who sacrificed, a haven for those want a time of reflection and an educational tool where our students can take field trips and learn about our history.
Our dedicated team has been working on this project for nearly four years. Each team member gives his or her time, skill and resources, with the goal of honoring those men and women who were willing to serve our country, as well as to help remind our children that freedom was not free. Listed on our memorial are the names of people who made the ultimate sacrifice, whom we want to be remembered for generations to come.
The Details
• The plaza will be located in Sparks at the west end of the Marina.
• A large, polished, black granite depiction of the state of Nevada will be mounted at the focal point of the feature wall with the state’s motto, “All for Our Country,” inscribed upon it.
• The commemorative brick plazas are intended to allow the public to purchase bricks to commemorate a friend or loved one’s service and will be unveiled yearly at annual Veteran’s Day events.
• Six granite benches will be engraved with the logos, motto and other pertinent dates pertaining to the various branches of service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and one designated for our missing in action (MIA).
• There will be 17 trees planted which represent the 16 counties of Nevada, plus the capital of Carson City.
• Names of those who have died in service will be listed for all to see.
• A timeline showing each and every battle in which we have fought will be on display.
• It will also serve as a place of gathering for all other veteran groups who would like to use the stage.
The Cost
The anticipated cost will be 1.6 to 2 million dollars. We have currently raised $500,000 in both cash and in-kind donations.
The Schedule
We are diligently working to have this completed by September of 2018, just in time for our first of many services that will be held on the last weekend in September to honor those who have fallen. That weekend is known across the United States as Gold Star Family Day.
The Team
The Nevada Veterans Memorial is a 501c3 non-profit organization that is comprised of veteran groups, local residents, community activists, political leaders, and business partners. The Chair of the Board is Sparks City Councilman Ron Smith and the Vice Chair is Sparks City Councilman Kristopher Dahir. We have a strong Board of Directors and an amazing group of volunteers that help keep the project moving forward. Please feel free to join the team if you want to get more involved.
The ASK
We have four ways for you to get involved:
• Purchase a donation brick for your name, business, or an honorable statement. We have bricks that are $100, $250, $500, or $1000. The bricks are different sizes, and all proceeds go directly to seeing the project completed.
• Attend our yearly dinner. Our next Silent Auction Fundraising Dinner will take place on Nov. 2 at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino. This will be our third dinner and we hope that many people come ready to donate to ensure the completion of the project.
• Give. This can be with finances and/or in-kind donations. You can give at any time and with any amount. We are thankful for every gift, large and small. We will have a donor garden with a small display listing all individuals and businesses that have given $10,000 or more to the project. We have a list of supplies and work that needs to be bought and paid for. If you want to contribute, either with your business or individually, please contact us.
• Come to our meetings, volunteer and get involved. We cannot complete this project on our own, and we really don’t want to! We hope that this will truly be a community project, where each of you can be proud in the knowledge that you have been a part of creating a place of honor and leaving a legacy for generations to come.
The Connection
Please contact us by calling (775) 345-5153
For more information, please visit us at www.Nevadaveteransmemorial.org.
Kristopher Dahir is a Sparks City Councilman and the Vice Chairman of the Nevada Veterans Memorial Project.
Eriksen says
Dates, location and times for meetings would be nice.
Antonette Shaw says
Good Afternoon,
I am extremely interested in joining the team to help build this amazing memorial. I am a real estate agent & I have a team of professionals called The Freedom Fighters Home Buying Team. We work closely with all of our heroes & the Veteran’s Resource Center. This is a wonderful thing you are doing & we would love to help you in any way possible. I look forward to hearing from you!