June 26 , 2008 - North Metro Impact Printing Sponsors Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. North Metro Impact Printing, one of the premier print service companies in the area, has presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 in-kind contribution. By providing printing services for the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation and the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event, Impact is helping to ensure the success of this very special event during Thornton’s annual Independence Day celebration.
June 25 , 2008 - Northglenn / Thornton Rotary Sponsors Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. The Northglenn / Thornton Rotary Club presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 contribution and are volunteering many hours of their personal time to assist at the event. The Rotary continues the fulfillment of their motto, Service Above Self.
June 25 , 2008 - Sportsman's Warehouse Sponsors Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. The Thornton Sportsman’s Warehouse store presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 in-kind contribution. As a “One Star Sponsor” of the event, Sportsman’s Warehouse continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the community but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
June 24 , 2008 -O'Meara Ford Becomes One Star Sponsor of Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. O’Meara Ford, Colorado's Oldest Independently Owned & Operated Exclusive Ford Dealer, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 contribution. This contribution will be used to help the Foundation bring the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to the city during the annual Independence Day event.
June 23 , 2008 - Helicopter War Museum to be At Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (RMCVHPA) will be showcasing the Helicopter War Museum (HWM) at the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event from July 3 to July 7. This museum provides an excellent opportunity to be educated on the contributions helicopters and their pilots and crew have made in defense of this nation.
June 10 , 2008 - The Chrysler Foundation to be Host Sponsor of Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event.
The Chrysler LLC Denver Business Center has donated $8,500, on behalf of The Chrysler Foundation, to the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation in support of the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. In doing so, The Chrysler Foundation will be the host sponsor for the event from July 3rd to July 7th 2008.
The Denver Business Center and local Chrysler, Jeep ® and Dodge dealers sought support from the Chrysler Foundation when they learned of this significant event and the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation project. This event would not be possible but for their generous contribution and support. As the “Five Star Sponsor” of the event, The Chrysler Foundation continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the community but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
June 10 , 2008 - Kaplan College Becomes Two Star Sponsor of Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. Kaplan College, one of the Denver metro area's leading adult education colleges has proudly joined in supporting our nation's veterans and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Kaplan College continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the community but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
June 4 , 2008 - National Guard "Patriot Chopper" to be at Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. The National Guard and the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation are proud to announce that the “Patriot Chopper” will be on site at the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. The event will draw thousands of visitors, many of them veterans, and the National Guard will be showcasing this extraordinary motorcycle as part of its public outreach efforts.
The construction of the bike, which was unveiled in September 2007 at the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Va., was documented on the show “American Chopper.” Built using designs submitted by soldiers, the Patriot Chopper is the first of three motorcycles being built for the Guard by Orange County Choppers.
June 17 , 2008 - The next TVMF meeting will be Monday, June 30, 2008 at 6:30pm. Please note that this meeting will be dedicated to planning for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event, will be held a half hour earlier than normal and will be held at the Thornton Multipurpose Fields. Public attendance and input is welcome and encouraged - please join us! If you have any questions, please contact us.
Two additional notes about our meetings:
There will also be a meeting dedicated to the Wall event on Monday, June 30th at 6:30pm at the Northglenn Elks.
Because of the Wall event, there will NOT be a committee meeting in July.
May 23 , 2008 - Memorial Day 2008. The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation would like to encourage all area residents to join us at Olinger Highland Mortuary, 10201 Grant Street, as they perform their 48th annual Memorial Day celebration. The event takes place at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2008. The celebration will be held with Thornton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7945 and Ladies Auxiliary and Northglenn American Legion Post 22 and Ladies Auxiliary.
President Bush has issued a proclamation naming Monday, May 26, 2008, Memorial Day, a day of prayer for permanent peace. In part the proclamation reads:
Throughout our Nation's history, our course has been secured by brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. These courageous and selfless warriors have stepped forward to protect the Nation they love, fight for America's highest ideals, and show millions that a future of liberty is possible. Freedoms come at great costs, yet the world has been transformed in unimaginable ways because of the noble service and devotion to duty of these brave individuals. Our country honors the sacrifice made by those who have given their lives to spread the blessings of liberty and lay the foundations of peace, and we mourn their loss.
Today, our service men and women continue to inspire and strengthen our Nation, going above and beyond the call of duty as part of the greatest military the world has ever known. Americans are grateful to all those who have put on our Nation's uniform and to their families, and we will always remember their service and sacrifice for our freedoms.
On this solemn day our country unites to pay tribute to the fallen, who demonstrated the strength of their convictions and paid the cost of freedom. We pray for the members of our Armed Forces and their families, and we ask for God's continued guidance of our country.
May 22 , 2008 - Golf Tournaments, Inc. Sponsors Wall Event. Golf Tournaments, Inc., one of the largest golf cart rental and sales companies in the country, has agreed to donate golf carts for use at the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. The carts will be used for a number of tasks during the event but most notably they will be used to transport ill and elderly veterans from the parking facilities to the Wall, thus providing a much needed service to those men and women who have sacrificed for our nation.
May 20 , 2008 - First phase of construction of the Thornton Veterans Memorial is underway Horizons North Credit Union, one of the north metro area’s premier local credit unions, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 contribution. This contribution will be used to help the Foundation bring the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to the city during the annual Independence Day event.
May 8 , 2008 - Colorado Doorways, Inc. Becomes Two Star Sponsor of Vietnam Wall Event. Colorado Doorways, Inc., Colorado’s largest door and architectural hardware distributor, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $1,000.00 contribution. The company continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the community but also to all servicemen and women and veterans. Colorado Doorways and its employees believe firmly in giving back to the communities that it serves. Its employees volunteer in many organizations and contributed over $33,000 last year to charity via Mile High United Way.
May 6, 2008 - GeoSpatial Experts to Sponsor Wall Event. GeoSpatial Experts, one of Thornton’s growing number of high-tech companies, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 contribution. This event would not be possible but for the generous contribution of GeoSpatial Experts and other area businesses and organizations. As a “One Star Sponsor” of the event, GeoSpatial Experts continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the community but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
April 28 , 2008 - Disabled American Veterans’ Mobile Service Office to be on Hand at Wall Event. The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation are proud to announce that the DAV’s Mobile Service Office will be on site at the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. The event will draw thousands of visitors, many of them veterans, and the DAV will be on hand to educate disabled veterans and their families on specific veterans' benefits and services.
April 23 , 2008 - United Power Becomes Sponsor of Wall Event. United Power, the rural electric cooperative that serve’s Thornton’s new growth areas, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 contribution. This contribution will be used to help the Foundation bring the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to the city during the annual Independence Day event.
April 21 , 2008 - MetroNorth Newspapers Becomes Two Star Sponsor of Wall Event. The publisher of the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, Westminster Window and other community newspapers continues their dedication to the community by contributing to the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. As a “Two Star Sponsor” of the event, MetroNorth continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the communities in which they operate but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
April 15 , 2008 - American Legion Post 22 Becomes Two Star Sponsor of Wall Event. Northglenn American Legion Post 22, one of the north metro area’s premier veteran service organizations, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $1,000.00 contribution to sponsor the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. The members of Post 22 have long served as examples of extraordinary service not only to their country in the military, but also in their community. As a “Two Star Sponsor” of the event, Post 22 continues to demonstrate their commitment to not only the Northglenn and Thornton community but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
March 27 , 2008 - Hunter Douglas Becomes Three Star Sponsor of Wall Event. Hunter Douglas, Inc., one of Thornton's premier employers has contributed $2,500 to the Foundation's Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event. With the contribution Hunter Douglas demonstrates their commitment to the communities in which the company operates and also to ensuring our nation's veterans are honored.
March 19 , 2008 - Radisson North Denver Graystone Castle Donates Rooms for Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Managers. The management of the Graystone Castle has generously agreed to provide accommodations while the Wall memorial is in town in July. Janice Leger, Director of Sales for the Graystone Castle said, "we are happy to do this for such a good cause." The Foundation thanks Janice and the Radisson for the generous support as they join other area businesses in supporting and sponsoring the Wall event.
March 10 , 2008 - Learn more about what is happening with the memorial and the Wall event on Comcast Newsmakers. Tony Hake, Chairman of the Foundation, recently did an interview with Anita Lopez for Comcast's Newsmakers program. The interview is airing on Comcast channel 37 (CNN Headline News) every day during the month of March. You can watch the interview below or at the following times:
March 7 , 2008 - Dodge Sign Company becomes Two Star sponsor for the Vietnam Traveling Wall Event. Dodge Sign Company, one of the north Denver metro area’s premier businesses, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $1,000.00 contribution on Wednesday, February 27. Mr. Dodge has been a steadfast supporter of the Thornton Veterans Memorial project since its inception. As a “Two Star Sponsor” of the event and a long standing supporter, Mr. Dodge and Dodge Signs continue to demonstrate their commitment to not only Thornton but also to all servicemen and women and veterans.
February 26 , 2008 - Sun Enterprises, Inc. becomes Two Star sponsor for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. Sun Enterprises, Inc., one of the nation’s premier motorcycle and power sports dealers and one of Thornton’s oldest businesses, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $1,000.00 contribution on Friday, February 22. This contribution will be used to help the Foundation bring the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to the city and put on a premier event during the annual Independence Day celebration.
January 22, 2008 - Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Coming to Thornton for Independence Day -
Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation Sponsors Memorial.
With great pride and enthusiasm the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation announces Thornton will be the host for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. The Foundation, working in conjunction with the city of Thornton, has arranged to have this extraordinary memorial present from July 3 to July 7, 2008 - most fittingly during the city’s Independence Day celebration. The Wall will be available for public viewing 24 hours a day on those dates at the multipurpose fields at the Margaret W. Carpenter Recreation Center (11151 Colorado Boulevard, Thornton, CO 80233). Click here to read the full press release.
November 28 , 2007 - Adams County Social Services looking to help military families. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan present military personnel and their families with financial, emotional and family relationship challenges. The Adams County Social Services Department seeks to serve these families through its Military Family Assistance Program.
Army Sergeant Eddie Jeffers wrote a letter to the editor back in February and in it he said, “Even thousands of miles away, in Ramadi, Iraq, the cries and screams and complaints of the ungrateful reach me. In a year, I will be thrust back into society from a life and mentality that doesn’t fit your average man. And then, I will be alone. And then, I will walk down the streets of America, and see the yellow ribbon stickers on the cars of the same people who compare our President to Hitler.”
Sadly, Sergeant Jeffers won’t be walking down the streets of his hometown in a year. At the young and tender age of 23, on September 19, 2007, he was killed in Iraq. He paid the ultimate sacrifice – not only for Americans, but for those that aspire to be like us. He did this despite believing that he would not be appreciated.
And what about those that do come home from this war and those that have from previous ones? What about those without limbs? Those with scars earned on the field of battle? And what about those that bear scars beneath the skin that aren’t visible – the kinds of scars that will come to life in nightmares every night for the rest of their lives?
When their time in the service is over and they try to piece together what's left of themselves, will we be there as a nation to lend a hand? What will we do to help those that have spent years dodging death and those that cradled comrades as they died? Will we honor them and will we help them? Will we turn our backs? Are they simply something to be ashamed of like some odd kind of urban blight that we dare not look at and want to hide from public view? Will we not at least take this one day a year to honor them?
All too often the soldiers, the Marines, the sailors and the airmen stand alone. They stand when others are unwilling or unable. They answer the call to serve while others turn a deaf ear.
God and the Soldier, we adore,
In time of danger, not before.
The danger passed and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the Soldier slighted.
— Rudyard Kipling
We dishonor all veterans when we do not take the time to properly recognize our defenders on this, the one day set aside to ensure they are never forgotten. This Veterans Day let us not forget their sacrifices; let us not slight our veterans.
November 9, 2007 - Veterans Day Events.There are a number of Veterans Day related events in the area this weekend. Please take the time to attend one if you are able.
Northglenn Veterans Day Event. Saturday, November 10, 11:00am. Honor our Veterans with members of American Legion Post 22 of Northglenn in the DL Parsons Theatre located in the Northglenn Recreation Center. There will be a great program honoring all Veterans of all wars. Renowned speaker, Jake Jabs (owner of American Furniture Warehouse) will talk. Some local Desert Storm heroes will join us for you to meet and greet. The Legion’s crack unit of the Honor Guard will fire a 21-gun salute at the Veterans Memorial after the ceremony.
Denver Veterans Day Parade. Saturday, November 10, 10:00am – Noon. Parade will start and end in Civic Center Park and will proceed down surrounding streets. A tribute to veterans will take place in the park immediately following the parade. The parade will proceed via 14th St. to Court Pl. then to 15th St. and Welton St, east to 17th St., then south on Broadway to 14th Ave. The reviewing stand will be located between Colfax and 14th Ave. on Broadway.
Veteran Appreciation Dinner at Thornton Golden Corral. Monday, November 12, 5:00pm – 9:00pm. A free meal will be provided to all active military, reserve & guardsmen personnel as well as all veterans - no ID required. The event is sponsored by the DAV and Golden Corral and this is the 5th year running. The Thornton Golden Corral will have the Horizon Marching Band playing service tunes and most likely the Boy Scouts will be on hand. Older and disabled veterans should arrive early due to crowds.
October 31 , 2007 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation Accepts Donation from Larkridge -
$10,000 Donation Pledged to Project . Jordon Perlmutter & Co., developers of the Larkridge retail development, presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $5,000 donation today. The donation is part of a larger $10,000 donation to be given to the project over the next six months. We are excited to see more area businesses recognizing how important this project is to the community. Please click here to view the full press release.
October 19 , 2007 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Endorses ALL Candidates. In an open letter to the community, the Chairman and Vice Chairman encourage all residents to excercise their right to vote.
You can definitely tell the political season is upon us! Ballots are in the mail, candidates are out on the campaign trail, and soon you will be mailing in or turning in your ballots.
The Thornton Veterans Memorial wholeheartedly endorses the political process that represents the very cornerstone of this great nation. We are happy to see so many individuals willing to step forward and run for political office and serve the citizens of Thornton and we endorse all of their efforts. We also encourage everyone to take part in the election – VOTE!
Members of our Foundation are everyday citizens, business leaders, community leaders and yes, political candidates. All of these individuals are completely dedicated to our efforts to honor veterans, no matter who they are. We do need to say though that the Foundation endorses no one candidate over another. The Foundation has made it clear to all of its members and volunteers that any political activities they undertake are done so as a private citizen and not as a member representing the Thornton Veterans Memorial. Any comments they may make in the course of political efforts are their own and do not reflect the Foundation’s views. It is important that area citizens understand this.
The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation never has and never will support one candidate for political office over another – that is not our place or our mission. We do however encourage you to exercise your right to vote - a right that has been provided by every veteran that has served, defended and even died, to protect. Educate yourself and learn about all the candidates and all the issues. Cast your ballot and vote for whom YOU determine to be the best candidate.
The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation is a non-partisan, non-political, non-profit civic group dedicated to building a veterans memorial in the City of Thornton. We have that one goal and no other. It can be said that throughout the course of history in our country, no one group of people has done more to preserve this nation and protect its citizens than our veterans. We know that all of the candidates running for office in our city recognize the importance of ensuring our veterans receive the honors they are due and that no matter who is elected, they will continue to work to ensure this happens as all of the city of Thornton has in recent years.
We thank the citizens of the city of Thornton for their support of the Thornton Veterans Memorial project and we look forward to making this a reality for our veterans and Thornton. Please remember to honor our veterans by exercising one of your greatest liberties – VOTE!
Sincerely,
Tony Hake
Chairman
Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation
Jim Branaugh
Vice Chairman
Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation
August 23 , 2007 - Thornton Veterans Memorial In the News.The Thornton Veterans Memorial has received some recent publicity in the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel and YourHub.
Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, August 16, 2007 - In a Letter to the Editor, Jim Branaugh, TVMF Vice Chairman, thanks the Meritt Hutton Class of 1961 for their contribution to the project. Click here to read it.
YourHub, August 23, 2007 - The unveiling of the "coming soon" sign receives a very prominent photo placement as well as reference to the online article. Click here to read it.
Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, August 23, 2007 - The unveiling of the "coming soon" sign was featured in the local paper. Click here to read it.
August 15 , 2007 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation Unveils Sign; Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman Provides Keynote Address.The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation conducted a ceremony to unveil a “coming soon” sign at the memorial site. The sign, located at the intersection of 108th Avenue and Garfield Street, will serve as a highly visible reminder about the project to the community.
The keynote address was provided by Secretary of State Mike Coffman who is also Honorary Chairperson of the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation. Secretary Coffman, a decorated combat veteran, served in the Army and the Marines, twice volunteering to return to active duty; first in 1991 to serve in the Persian Gulf War and again in 2006 to serve in Iraq and help that country hold its first free elections.
August 13 , 2007 - Stop by the TVMF Tent at Thornton's Harvest Fest. On Saturday, September 8th from 10:00am to 5:00pm, the city of Thornton will host its annual Harvest Fest festival. We are pleased to announce that we will have a tent set up to share information about the project with the community. Please stop by and see the progress on the project.
August 6 , 2007 - Sign Unveiling Ceremony Set for August 15th at 2:00pm. The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation will be unveiling a large "coming soon" sign near the memorial location. Secretary of State Mike Coffman, our Honorary Chairperson, will be speaking and numerous area dignitaries be in attendance. Public attendance is welcomed and encouraged! The event will take place on August 15 at 2:00pm at 108th & Garfield (one block west of Colorado Boulevard). Please join us for this special day. For more information, please contact us.
June 18 , 2007 - Join Us For the Jim's Burger Haven Cruz-In on Saturday, July 14th. Come join us at Jim's Burger Haven (595 E 88th Ave) for this Thornton tradition from 4:00pm - 8:00pm on Saturday, July 14th. TVMF will have a tent setup where you can learn more about the project. It is sure to be a great time!
June 11 , 2007 - Colorado Crush to Host Military Night on June 18th.Discount tickets are available for all active, retired, families, and friends start as low as $5 per seat on the upper level and $20 per seat on the lower level. The Crush are also offering free youth Elitch Gardens all-day passes for kids 12+under to anyone who purchases tickets to the June 18th or June 25th game and 15% discount cards on Crush merchandise. Click here to download the flyer.
May 31 , 2007 - Please Join Us at Thornton's 4th of July Celebration. The Veterans Memorial Foundation will have a tent setup on the field to update the public on our project. Please stop by and pay us a visit. To learn more about the happenings that day, please check out the city's web site.
May 18 , 2007 - Please Join Us on Memorial Day. Memorial Day is coming up and we would like to invite everyone to join us at Olinger Highland Mortuary at I-25 and 104th Avenue for a very special ceremony. Olinger will be hosting their 47th Annual Memorial Day Service at 10 a.m. Monday, May 28, 2007. The service will include choir music by New Star Entertainment, bagpiper Scott Beach and an Honor Guard and Wreath Ceremony conducted by VFW Post #7945, American Legion Post #22 and Ladies Auxiliary. A dove release will conclude the ceremony. Refreshments will be served. Fresh flowers will be available for purchase Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend. The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation will be there and we ask all of our supporters to please take the time to join us and honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this nation – it is the least we can do!
Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery
10201 North Grant Street
Thornton, CO 80229
Phone: 303-451-6674
May 9 , 2007 - Look for the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation at Thorntonfest. On Saturday, May 19th from 10:00am to 5:00pm, the city of Thornton will host its annual Thorntonfest festival. We are pleased to announce that we will have a tent set up to share information about the project with the community. Please stop by and see the progress on the project.
May 4 , 2007 - Resolution Asking Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to Fund Veterans Memorials Passed Unanimously by State Legislature. We are pleased to announce that working with our Legislative Steering Committee, House Joint Resolution 1028 has unanimously been endorsed by the Colorado Legislature. This resolution asks for Colorado Lottery funds, controlled by Great Outdoors Colorado, to be used for the construction of veterans memorials. The Foundation views this as a very important way to ensure our veterans are properly recognized and believes it is consistent with GOCO’s mission of helping to fund outdoor recreation projects. Please click here to read the press release.
April 19, 2007 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Nominated for YourHub.com Community Giving Award – Your Vote is Needed. The veterans memorial project is one of three projects in the north metro area to have been nominated for a $1,000 award from YourHub. The winner of the award will be selected from among the three choices by a vote of YourHub users. Only registered YourHub.com users can vote, and anyone can register. Simply visit http://denver.yourhub.com/Administrative/Register.aspx to get signed up. Then go to http://denver.yourhub.com/communitygiving and vote for the veterans memorial. When you go to the voting page, the three choices for our area are about 2/3 of the way down under a heading called Adams County. We need your vote to help us win! Voting ends on May 3rd so please vote as soon as possible!
April 18, 2007 - Resolution Asking Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to Fund Veterans Memorials to be Introduced in State Legislature. We are pleased to announce that working with our Legislative Steering Committee, a resolution in the legislature will be introduced within the next two weeks asking for Colorado Lottery funds to be used for the construction of veterans memorials. This resolution is being introduced by Senator Lois Tochtrop (District 24) and Representative John Soper (District 34) with support from the rest of the committee including Mike Coffman, a combat veteran and Colorado’s Secretary of State, as well as Representatives Judy Solano (District 31) and Representative Edward Casso (District 32). The Foundation views this as a very important way to ensure our veterans are properly recognized and believes it is consistent with GOCO’s mission of helping to fund outdoor recreation projects. A press conference will be held at the state capitol on the day the resolution is introduced in both sides of the legislature. Check back here frequently for more news when we have confirmed the date and time.
March 7 , 2007 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Receives Valuable Support from Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman and Thornton’s Legislative Delegation; Combat Veteran Coffman Named an Honorary Chairperson of the Foundation
The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation is pleased to announce the support of Mike Coffman, a combat veteran and Colorado’s Secretary of State, as well as Thornton’s State Legislative Delegation including State Senator Lois Tochtrop (District 24) and State Representatives Judy Solano (District 31), Edward Casso (District 32), and John Soper (District 34).
Additionally, the Foundation announced today that Secretary Coffman has been named an Honorary Chairperson of the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation.
February 16 , 2007 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Receives Wal-Mart Community Grant. The Thornton Veterans Memorial accepted a $1,000 grant from Wal-Mart through their Community Grant Program. Dave Bennett, Store Manager for Wal-Mart store #1231, and Kathy Grossman, the store's Community Involvement Coordinator made the presetation. Jim Branaugh (Vice Chairman), Greg Banks (Architect), and Bob Heller (Member at Large) accepted the grant on behalf of the Foundation. We thank Wal-Mart for recognizing the importance of the memorial project and sincerely appreciate their contribution. You can view pictures of the presenation here. A press release was also posted to YourHub which you can read here.
February 12 , 2007 - Presentations Available Online. Those wanting information in a downloadable format can now download presentations with information about the memorial project. To view them, please visit our document section.
February 9 , 2007 - Learn more about the memorial at the city's city council warm meetings. The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation will at the city's upcoming ward meetings. Be sure to come and learn more about the project.
Spring 2007 Ward Meetings
February 22 - Ward 4 meeting, Thorncreek Clubhouse,
13555 N. Washington St., Thornton.
April 26 - Ward 2 meeting, Thornton Senior Center,
9471 Dorothy Blvd.
May 17 - Ward 3 meeting, St. John's Lutheran Church
11040 Colorado Blvd., Thornton.
January 4 , 2007 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial featured in the Northglenn / Thornton Sentinel. Featured in the Sentinel this week is the news about the memorial relocation and interviews with some of our members. This is a very good article. Click here to read it.
December 15 , 2006 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Featured On Your Hub. A recent article on YourHub.com discusses the recent decision to move the veterans memorial. Click here to read it.
December 4 , 2006 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Is On The Move. After weeks of discussions and debating, the Memorial Foundation has made the decision to move the memorial to a different location. After the significant turn out for the Veterans Day ceremony, concerns were raised about the proposed location and its ability to properly support a large gathering.
The Foundation felt they had properly vetted the hilltop location at 139th & Colorado Boulevard over a year ago when it was chosen. However, after seeing the number of people that will be attending events at the memorial and given the limitations of the site, the city and the Foundation came to the conclusion that in the interest of ensuring the memorial is able to live up to its purpose, it has to move.
So where is the memorial going to be located? At a spot that many residents have voiced a preference for over the past year - near the Thornton Recreation Center at 110th & Colorado Boulevard.
Tony Hake, Chairman of the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation said, “In a way, we are victims of our own success. The recent Veterans Day event and the extraordinary turnout and support really brought to our attention that the infrastructure at the old site wasn’t going to support the memorial and the types of activities we envision having there. This new location not only allows us plenty of room to hold events like Veterans Day and Memorial Day, it also allows us much greater flexibility in the memorial design, makes us part of a city destination, and puts us much closer to the population center of the city. The decision wasn’t easy but in the end we feel the new location serves the memorial’s purpose and the community much better.”
More details on the new location will be available in the coming weeks while we continue to work with the city on refining the location design. In the meantime, a press release with many more details about the move, the reasoning behind it, and why we feel it is a good thing is available. Please click here to read it. If you have any questions, please contact us.
April 16 , 2007 - Texas Roadhouse to host benefit dinners for the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation. ** EVENT CANCELLED **
We are pleased to announce that the Texas Roadhouse has generously agreed to donate 10% of your total bill back to the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation when you dine there on the designated day. This is a great opportunity to help support our cause and to have a great meal!
This next such event will be held on Tuesday, May 8th from 4:00pm to 10:00pm. Please click here to download and print a flyer - you need to present this to your server in order for the veterans memorial to benefit.
We look forward to seeing you there! As always, please check our calendar for more events in the future!
November 11 , 2006 - The city of Thornton's first Veterans Day Remembrance was a huge success! The city's Veterans Day ceremony, which TVMF proudly assisted with, was truly an event to remember. Over 250 people were in attendance, a much bigger crowd than was expected for the city's first such event. Featuring a chorale singing patriotic music, guest speakers including Mayor Noel Busck, the VFW and American Legion and more, it was a wonderful way to honor our veterans for the sacrifices they have made. Thank you to all who came out and showed their support!
October 23, 2006 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation Supports the VA's "Veterans Pride Initiative".The Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and leaders of major veterans organizations today called on America's veterans to help kindle a new spark of patriotism on Veterans Day by wearing the medals they earned during military service.
"We are announcing a Veterans Pride Initiative to remind Americans of the pride and honor in the hearts of those who have served," Nicholson said. "We expect Americans will see our decorated heroes unite in spirit at ceremonies, in parades and elsewhere as a compelling symbol of courage and sacrifice on Veterans Day, the day we set aside to thank those who served and safeguarded our national security."
VA is offering information about the campaign on its Web page, http://www.va.gov/veteranspride/, where veterans also can obtain information about how to replace mislaid medals and learn how to confirm the decorations to which they are entitled.
More information can be obtained below and from the VA's website. The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation wholeheartedly endorses this initiative and hopes all veterans will take this opportunity to show their pride for their service to this nation! More information on Veterans Day can also be obtained from the VA on this page: http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/index.asp
October 10, 2006 - Join us in honoring our veterans on Veterans Day! On Saturday, November 11th at 12:00pm, there will be a Veterans Day remembrance at the civic center. Working in conjunction with the city, TVMF is working to make this a very special event. Plans are still being finalized but will include participation by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars for the presentation of colors, a showing of the Thornton veterans video, comments from some special veterans and their families and more! Please mark your calendar and check back here for more information as the date gets closer!
September 11, 2006 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation announces new officers. We are pleased to announce Tony Hake was elected as President and Linda Wisniewski as Secretary.
September 9, 2006 - TVMF participates in the Thornton Harvest Fest. The Thornton Veterans Memorial was proud to help the city of Thornton celebrate its 50th anniversary by participating in the Harvest Fest parade. The Military Vehicle Collectors of Colorado were very gracious in lending us a hand and were able to show up with 13 classic and modern military vehicles for our entry in the parade. Needless to say it made a very impressive display and we greatly appreciate their support!
After the parade the Foundation had a tent in the Festival where we were able to talk to a lot of folks in the community about the project. Of course the highlight was almost certainly the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders who made an appearance in support of the memorial.
The Chrysler Foundation to be Host Sponsor of Vietnam Wall event. Help raise funds for the memorial and get some great merchandise too. Our online store is now open for business a variety of TVMF related merchandise. Click here to check it out!
Please note changes in our meeting schedule. With the summer months upon us and our members busy enjoying vacations with family, we have temporarily scaled back the number of meetings we will be having. There will not be a meeting on the third Monday of June, further, we will not have a meeting on July 3rd as we will be having a tent at the city's 4th of July celebration. As always, our event calendar is up to date. To view the calendar click here!
Make a contribution online! We have setup an online donation system - contributions of any size are appreciated! Contributions via credit can be made in a matter of seconds - it is fast, easy and secure. Click here for more information.
See what is happening on our event calendar! We have added an event calendar that shows all of our meetings and TVMF related functions. We will also keep it up to date with other veterans related events. If you have an event that you think should be listed, please let us know! To view the calendar click here!
September 7, 2006 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Featured in YourHub Section of the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post. An update for the community was provided in a recent article. You may read it by clicking here.
August 24, 2006 - Order Your Paver Bricks.We are pleased to announce the start of sales of the paver bricks that will make up the walkways of the veterans memorial! The paver bricks will be used as the walkways at the memorial. They will serve as a perpetual reminder of how much the contributions of veterans of meant to this country and you. Purchase them for yourself or for friends as family as a great and memorable gift. You can order them online in our online store of download an order form and send in your order by mail.
August 1, 2006 - Thornton Veterans' Memorial on Comcast Local Edition.Tony Hake, Vice Chairman for the Memorial Foundation recently did an interview for Comcast Local Edition that can be seen during the months of August and September. In the four minute interview Tony talks with Anita Lopez (formerly of KUSA channel 9) about the memorial and the progress toward making it a reality. If you have Comcast, tune in and check it out (schedule below)! You can also view it online using the following links:
The interview will air during the following times throughout the month of August on CNN Headline News on Comcast channel 37.
Mondays 5:54 a.m.
Tuesdays 12:54 p.m.
Wednesdays 8:54 a.m. and 6:54 p.m. (except for 8/2)
Thursdays 2:54 p.m.
Fridays 12:54 p.m.
Saturdays 4:54 a.m. & 8:54 p.m.
Sundays 7:54 a.m. & 6:54 p.m.
During September, the interview will be available through Comcast's On Demand service.
July 7, 2006 - Next on our calendar - Thornton Harvest Fest. September 9th is the city's annual Harvest Fest and the Thornton Veterans Memorial will play a prominent role. First and foremost, our entry for the parade promises to be a great surprise for everyone. It is "top secret" for now so please check back for more information in the coming weeks. We will also have a booth setup at the festival to help raise funds and tell everyone about the project. Be sure to stop by! For now, visit the city's Harvest Fest page on their web site for more information.
July 5, 2006 - Independence Day celebration a success. Despite the weather being a bit less than cooperative, the city's 4th of July celebration was a success for TVMF. We were able to get the word out to a lot of residents about the project and interest was very high. Thank you to everyone we talked to - we look forward to your help as we move forward with the project! Check back in a few days as we hope to have some pictures to share!
Come visit us at Thornton's "Salute to the Troops" 4th of July celebration. We will be at the city event with a tent setup to share information about the memorial. Please stop by and pay us a visit. To learn more about the happenings, please check out the city's web site.
Benefit dinner for the Thornton Veterans Memorial. On Saturday, May 13th, the Foundation will be sponsoring a benefit dinner to help raise funds. Dinner, a silent auction and entertainment are just some of the fun in store for the night! Click here for more information.
May 25, 2006 - Thornton Veterans' Memorial Featured in the Northglenn / Thornton Sentinel. The memorial was again featured in the Sentinel. Click here to view the article in PDF format. We certainly appreciate the publicity and all of the help we have received from the Sentinel but unfortunately there were some errors in the article. Please note our comments:
The headline refers to the Thornton Veterans' Memorial as a “tribute garden”. That is not what the memorial is to be called. In fact, that is the name of a memorial in a neighboring city.
The article states the memorial will be open on Memorial Day 2007. That is incorrect. No hard opening date has been set. We are however tentatively planning a ground breaking for Memorial Day 2007 and an dedication / grand opening on Veterans Day 2007.
The article says the service satellite monuments will have “painted scenes”. That is incorrect - nothing will be painted. The monuments will have quality bronze reliefs.
February 7, 2006 - The TVMF will be working with the city staff to ensure veterans are properly honored in this, the city's 50th anniversary year. Plans are still being formulated and more information is forthcoming but we are planning special tributes at the city's Independence Day celebration as well as for Veterans Day. Check back here for more information. In the meantime, you may read more about the events surrounding Thornton's 50th anniversary on the city's web site - please click here.
January 5, 2006 - Thornton Veterans Memorial was chosen as one of YourHub's "Best of 2005" Stories. .You can read the article here (Adobe Acrobat format).
December 1, 2005 - TVMF featured in the Northglenn / Thornton Sentinel .You can read the article here (Adobe Acrobat format).
November 10, 2005 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial featured in the "Your Hub" section of the Denver Post & the Rocky Mountain News. An update on the project was in the newspaper. You can view the article by clicking here (Adobe Acrobat format).
October 25, 2005 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation presented our plans for the memorial and it has received the blessing of the city council! We thank the city council and everyone else who made this possible.
Now that we have reached this milestone, we are proud to unveil the concept designs for the memorial. You can read all about it on the Project page as well as download and view a brochure and images in our Documents Section. Click here to read and see more about this exciting and very important project.
Meeting schedule changes due to the holidays. The Memorial Foundation will meet as scheduled on December 5th, however, please note the following changes to other meeting dates in the near future:
The December 19th meeting will not be held or rescheduled.
The January 2, 2006 meeting will be postponed to January 9th.
October 18, 2005 - We are pleased to announce that the proposed memorial design and location has received approval from the Thornton Planning Committee! The memorial foundation is pleased to have achieved this major milestone and we are on our way to making this memorial a reality.
A complete presentation and vote by city council on the project will be conducted at the next city council meeting on 10/25/05. More information about the council meeting can be found on the city's web site. Be sure to check back after the city council meeting as we will have artist's renderings and much more information available here on our web site!
August 15, 2005 - Valerian LLC Landscape Architects to design the Thornton Veterans Memorial. Valerian LLC is one of Denver's premier landscape architecture and site planning firms. They have very generously agreed to donate their services to our cause and we thank them for their help! To read more about Valerian, please visit their web site. To see more companies and individuals who are donating to the memorial, please click here.
July 22, 2005 - Our email newsletter is now available! The newsletter will keep members of the community and other interested people up to date with the latest happenings as we work toward building this important memorial. Click here for more information or to subscribe!
July 11, 2005 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation announces new officers. We are pleased to announce Dave Corey was elected as President and Tami William as Treasurer. More information may be obtained in the meeting minutes.
July 4, 2005 - The Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation unveils its new logo. Today, at the city of Thornton's annual Independence Day celebration, the Foundation announced the winner of the logo design contest. Picking a winning logo was not easy and we thank all participants for their submissions! Details below.
For submitting the winning logo, Mr. Varvir received a $25.00 Wal-Mart gift certificate, a $50.00 gift certificate to Black Angus and a one year subscription to the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel.
Other Participants
Kayl Belcher
Patricia Donahue
Jason Graham
Nancy Jimenez
Catherine Nebs
Alyssa Wenholz
All participants received a $25.00 Wal-Mart gift certificate.
A special thanks to Terry Cooper for her contribution toward the Wal-Mart gift cards and to North Metro Newspapers and the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel for their contribution of the annual subscription!
The logo design contest has ended - thank you to everyone for their submissions. Letters have gone out to all participants inviting them to the city's 4th of July celebration. The presentation and awards will be at 8:00pm. More information on the Independence Day celebration can be found here on the city's web site.
The Boy Scouts will be having a flag retirement ceremony on July 5, 2005 at 7:00pm. It will be held Adams County Justice Center on Bromley Lane in Brighton.
May 19, 2005 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation logo design contest featured in the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel.Click here to view it.
May 12, 2005 - Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation featured in the People section of the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel. Click here to view it.
May 5, 2005 - The Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel has an article featuring the Foundation and its efforts to bring a memorial park to the city. Read it here.
* Note: News articles are in Adobe Acrobat format. You can download the free ready by clicking here.
As construction of first phase begins, so does another opportunity to order paver bricks First phase of construction of the Thornton Veterans Memorial is underway Next committee meeting will be Monday, 8/2/10 @ 7:00pm. Click here for more information and news.
June 26 , 2008 - North Metro Impact Printing Sponsors Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. North Metro Impact Printing, one of the premier print service companies in the area, has presented the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation with a $500.00 in-kind contribution. By providing printing services for the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation and the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall event, Impact is helping to ensure the success of this very special event during Thornton’s annual Independence Day celebration. 
With great pride and enthusiasm the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation announces Thornton will be the host for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. The Foundation, working in conjunction with the city of Thornton, has arranged to have this extraordinary memorial present from July 3 to July 7, 2008 - most fittingly during the city’s Independence Day celebration. The Wall will be available for public viewing 24 hours a day on those dates at the multipurpose fields at the Margaret W. Carpenter Recreation Center (11151 Colorado Boulevard, Thornton, CO 80233). 
