Luncheon, August 13, 2014 at Sara Bay CC 

 Colonel Linda Gould Addresses Our August 13 Luncheon Meeting

Retired Army Colonel Linda Gould, representing The Patterson Foundation’s Patriot Plaza Initiative and the Legacy of Valor, gave an excellent presentation at our August 13 luncheon at the Sara Bay Country Club.

 The Patterson Foundation created the Legacy of Valor campaign as an extension of the  Patriot Plaza initiative to raise awareness about veterans' issues and programs as well as veterans' contributions to our community. Through Legacy of Valor partnerships, community entities collaborate with each other to create and build upon existing activities and events to educate, build enthusiasm and focus the community to honor and support veterans and their families. The Legacy of Valor Campaign honors veterans and their families through a series of community-driven events that honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women in our nation's armed forces.

Colonel Gould gave a most informative account of the unique partnership that was developed between The Patterson Foundation and the U.S. Veterans Administration, which culminated in the June 28th dedication of Patriot Plaza at the Sarasota National Cemetery. The 2800-seat facility covers nearly 2 acres and includes a 20,800 square foot cover to provide shade over the seating area. Funding for the project was provided entirely by The Patterson Foundation: The $12,000,000 they provided included $2,000,000 for artwork and an endowment of $1 million to provide maintenance for the facility, ensuring that the Plaza will not cost taxpayers anything.

Many thanks to Col. Gould for her presentation, and to The Patterson Foundation for making this unique contribution to our community and to our veterans. 

You can find out more about the Patriots Plaza at www.thepattersonfoundation.org/work/patriot-plaza.html

President Tim Rocklein with guest speaker Col. Linda Gould USA (ret) representing the Patterson Foundation