Q: Why doesn’t the Veterans Administration or Congress pay for this
project/memorial? Why does the money have to be given by taxpaying citizens?
A: The Foundation receive government grants from five of the six counties and the City of Orlando. We sought foundation grants where we were eligible. We anticipate our endowment funding to come from the philanthropic sector.
Q: Why is there a need for this Foundation? Why can’t I just send a check to the Veterans Administration?
A: The Veterans Administration provides Veterans benefits and services. The Foundation is community based and driven by local citizens to honor those of our community who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Because of the Foundation’s IRS status as a 501(c)3 organization, donors have the satisfaction of knowing that our written receipt for their donation satisfies the tax deductibility rules for a charitable gift under the IRS code. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, all volunteers, and none of them receive any form of compensation.
Q: Once the Park and Monument are built, how will it be maintained in the years to come.
A: The land for the park has been provided by the Lake Nona Land Company,
LLC under a 99 year renewable joint use agreement with normal landscaping, and upkeep of lawn and shrubs to be maintained as part of the overall development of the Lake Nona Community, but with the Foundation being responsible for maintaining the memorial structures, appearance, scheduling of events and insurance. One half of our $3 million goal was for an endowment for the long term upkeep and maintenance of the Memorial Park.
Q: Can I restrict my gift?
A: Yes, a gift can be restricted in any number of ways. We have many naming opportunities that your gift can be restricted to see enclosed list. Your gift can be restricted to a separate endowed fund if you prefer to earmark your gift.
Q: Is my gift tax deductible?
A: The quick answer is yes provided the gift is in monetary form. If you are making an in-kind gift of goods or services, such as art, real estate, automobile, you must have an independent third party provide an appraisal of your in-kind gift.
Q: Knowing what names of the fallen are eligible to be listed on the Veterans Memorial is no small task. What is your understanding as to the criteria?
A: As per Dr. Steve Lauer, Consulting Historian for CFVMP Foundation and former Board Member … The criteria used for the Central Florida Veteran’s Memorial was provided with the names of the fallen from the State of Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the United States Department of Defense. In essence, the names of the fallen include all persons who deaths were the result of enemy action, or who died of wounds within six months of the declared end of a war or hostilities. These criteria often varied slightly from conflict to conflict and the use of the names provided through the State of Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs ensures the maximum clarity and transparency in the selection process.
In addition, during 2007, Ms. Lauren Barr and Dr. R. Paul Maiden of the University of Central Florida undertook a detailed examination of the names of the fallen from central Florida Counties.
Following the dedication of the Memorial Park on November 11, 2013, the Honors Committee used input from the Department of Defense and citizen input to ascertain eligibility for inclusion on the walls.
Q: How far back does your research go? What war do you start and end with?
A: Currently the memorial includes the names of the fallen from the First World War (1914-1918) through the current Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the War on Terror. We researched the participation of veterans, and the names of the fallen, from National Archives, County VSO Records, existing Memorials like the Vietnam Wall and others.
Q: What about those in uniform who died in accidents not actual combat are they eligible?
A: As per the Honors Committee, the issue of including non-battle deaths during a war or conflict also varied. Our decision has been to follow the practice of each war, and where non-battle deaths have been included by the United States Department of Defense to the Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
