The Pinal County Veterans Memorial Foundation was established in 2010 by retired Pinal County Sheriff Frank Reyes and retired Casa Grande Attorney Thomas McCarville. The mission statement reads: To Build a Memorial to Honor all Pinal County Veterans who have made the Ultimate Sacrifice.
The intention behind the memorial is to create a site of beauty, honor, peace and respect. It will be a place for all individuals and groups to use for services, schools to teach the history of our country and the public to come and reflect on the sacrifices our fallen heroes have made for our freedoms of this great nation. The location of the memorial will be in Casa Grande at the Ed Hooper Park. The lease agreement was signed in January 2016 by the City Council.
The memorial will be in a park-like setting with the centerpiece being the Memorial Circle. A bronze statue of a serviceman from the waist up, offering the folded American flag will be placed on a pedestal representing the likeness of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the words “ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION” carved into the concrete base. Surrounding the sculpture will be 12-foot walls with flags posted behind. Five walls will each represent a branch of the service: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Pavers will be placed for those who wish to recognize a family member or give thanks.
The foundation Board of Directors is comprised of veteran and civilian volunteers who have the same vision as its founders. As a 501(c)3 organization, all funds raised have come from donations, fundraising events, “My Fallen Hero” book sales and community outreach. We currently have just over $130,000 and initial estimates to build the memorial are between $300,000-$400,000. If you wish to make a donation, find out more about the foundation or come to one of our meetings or events. Please visit: pcvmf.org
