1021 West Bailey Street Sioux Falls
SD
EVENT/Dedication
Gold Star Families Memorial Monument
September 25, 2022
Sioux Falls, SD
The Gold Star Families, the Woody Williams Gold Star Memorial Monument Committee and especially the Greg Wagner Family has honored the Patriot Guard Riders with a request for us to be present for this great event! The Woody Williams Gold Star Memorial Monument will be dedicated in it’s place of honor in the Veterans’ Memorial Park located in Sioux Falls on Sunday, September 25th, 2022 at 2:00 pm.
Flags will be provided for our members to show their respect and appreciation to the families of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for their and our country. We would very much like to have a good attendance for this event that will be an important occasion for the families that this monument will be placed for.
Stage: 1:00 pm, Sunday, September 25th, 2022 at Veterans’ Memorial Park, 1021 West Bailey Street Sioux Falls, SD.
Ride Captain: Randy Ward, A.S.C.
605-359-8719
reward1948@yahoo.com
Please join us at a reception immediately following the ceremony.
GOLD STAR FAMILY MEMORIAL MONUMENT PROJECT
The Sioux Falls Area Gold Star Families is an active community affiliated with the Woody Williams Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to pursuing the vision of the late WWII Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams to honor, recognize and serve families whose loved ones have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. The most visible expression of this vision is the installation of a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in every state. Since its founding in 2010, the Foundation’s impact has been significant: There currently exists 182 active Gold Star communities in the U.S. and Guam where 106 monuments have been installed with 72 currently in progress. Each monument provides a place of permanence for Gold Star Families to gather and utilize as they see fit and belongs to them.
In early 2021, Dave Trei, Don Kranz, Dan Wagner, Kim Vennard and Rex Rolfing formed a committee and charged itself with raising the funds necessary to erect a memorial monument in Sioux Falls. They met with city officials and the Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Board to identify the most appropriate location for the monument in Veterans’ Memorial Park. After its review, the Board gave the committee its enthusiastic endorsement and approval of the plan.
The committee engaged the services of Bob Preloger in December of that year to direct the fundraising efforts to raise $100,000 by a May 15 deadline. Each member identified prospective donors who were inclined to support this initiative and recruited two to three volunteers who would assist with gift solicitations. On January 13, 2022, a training session was held and the fundraising campaign commenced. Over the next five months, the committee and its volunteers raised nearly $105,000 from 61 individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations. An April 6, 2022 ground breaking ceremony was held and by the summer of 2022, the foundation was laid. Installation of the monument took place in mid-September and will be dedicated on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
We are grateful to those who helped make this day possible: