VETERANS DAY LUMINARIA TO BE LIT AT DUSK IN BRONSON PARK
KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN – For one night on Novemb er 11 from dusk until 11:00 PM, a luminarium in Bronson Park will serve as a glowing tribute to those who have served in the armed forces. Altho ugh the luminaria will highlight the WWI centennial, the event will honor a ll those who have followed in pursuit of peace – veterans of war, veterans of peacetime, civilians who served on the home front, and those in our comm unity today who continue to work toward a peaceful world.
The public is invited to contribute to this event. Luminaria may be customized with na me, service details and a brief personalized message for a $5 donation.&nbs p; There is also an option to donate and have the name of a WWI veteran cho sen for you from the roster of the 114 young men from Kalamazoo County who gave their lives and the many others who bravely served and returned home.& nbsp; At the evening’s end, 11:00 PM on the 11th day of the 11th month, donors will be invited to take their luminaria home as a lasting reminder. Donations may be made at www.KzooTribute .org.
Elizabeth Kraatz, Commemorative Events Chair of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, notes, “All those who served in WWI have long since left us, but their service should not be for gotten. 2017 is the centennial of the First World War yet there is no natio nal monument in Washington DC to commemorate the “War to End All Wars.”&nbs p; Bronson Park is home to three memorials to the Spanish-American War, but there are no memorials to WWI anywhere in Kalamazoo County. The lack of a proper memorial of WWI is perhaps due to an accident of history. Wars are generally remembered on their milestone anniversaries. Twenty-fi ve years after the end of the First World War, the nation was immersed in t he Second World War. Fifty years later, we were fighting in Vietnam. One hu ndred years later, the construction of a national WWI monument in Washingto n DC has finally been approved. It is anticipated that the monument will be completed by November 11, 2018.”
All proceeds raised during th e luminarium in Bronson Park will benefit the construction of the National WWI Monument in Washington DC and the mission of Talons Out Honor Flight to bring veterans of southwest Michigan to tour the monuments in our nation’s capital.
The luminarium is hosted by the Lucinda Hinsdale Ston e Chapter NSDAR, the Ki-Ka-Ma-Sung Society of the Children of the American Revolution and their Junior American Citizens Club, and Talons Out Honor Fl ight. Luminaria may be donated and personalized at www.KzooTribute.org. Fur ther information is available on FaceBook.com/KzooTribute. Questions may be directed to KzooTribute@gmail.com.
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The Daughters of the American Revolution is th e world’s largest women’s service organization. The Children of the America n Revolution is the nation’s oldest patriotic youth organization. The Junio r American Citizens Club is open to all children who would like to explore their American heritage. Talons Out Honor Flight flies the veterans of sout hwest Michigan (at no charge) to visit “their” monuments in Washington DC.< /p> CONTACT:KzooTribute@gmail.com. DTSTAMP:20260928T090705 DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20171111T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20171111T230000 SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR