Orange and Seminole Counties Provide Huge Boost to Campaign
Soon after a generous gift of $250,000 from Massey Services, Inc., Orange County Commissioners unanimously voted a grant of $500,000 and that was followed up with another unanimous vote by Seminole County Commissioners for a grant of $150,000. These recent gifts brought the fund raising to about 50% of the total goal of $3,000,000 needed for construction and for the endowment.
Although contributions are from the heart and from a sense of commitment to all those who have served and to those that made the ultimate sacrifice, the difference in dollar amount by counties is roughly related to the number of names of the fallen to be honored on the memorial walls and also to the number of living veterans in each county. Per the 2010 census the number of living veterans per county is as follows:
Brevard 75,188 Osceola 17,606
Lake 42,112 Seminole 33,688
Orange 89,634 Volusia 58,883
Total 317,111
Membrs of the board of CFVMPF are in the process of meeting with commissioners of Brevard, Lake, Osceola, and Volusia Counties and with the City of Orlando for their support also.
Jerry E. Pierce, Chairman of CFVMPF noted that it is not surprising that all six counties and the City of Orlando would want to support this Memorial as it is far more than “just a memorial” even though other memorials are important as well. He stated further that what is different is that this is the only Veterans Memorial that is adjacent to and part of a VA Medical Center in the entire country. It is also on the center axis and focal point of the new VA Medical Center with the entire VA complex covering 65 acres roughly the size of a theme park like Sea World.
The VA Medical Center will be not only the focus of our community, but also nationally showing what our community and nation has done and is doing to honor and heal our veterans and the families visiting the VA Medical Center and Memorial. It will also be a place of education as to the cost of freedom and that freedom is not free.
