Did you know that over 40 Idahoans have died in the War on Terror since 9/11?
In order to honor their sacrifice - a local group is working to raise money for a permanent memorial dedicated to these brave men and women. Brigadier General Alan C. Gayhart of the Idaho Army National Guard is leading the charge to make this memorial happen.
It's already well into the planning stages. I had the chance to spend some time with General Gayhart last week (on Veterans Day) to talk about the memorial, and he showed me the new plans for it. It will consist of six sandstone slabs, and 4 pillars. On two of the pillars, the names of the fallen will be engraved in black granite. There will also be matching benches there for people who want to sit and reflect.
The memorial will be located right in front of the old Ada County Courthouse, right across the street from the Idaho State Capitol building.
Here's an artist rendering of what it would look like:
Right now, the group needs about $60,000 to make it happen. The people working with General Gayhart include veterans groups, individuals, and the Ride to the Wall Foundation. They all make up the Idaho Global War on Terrorism Memorial Association.
Fundraising has already begun, but there is a long way to go. The goal is to dedicate this memorial on 9/11/2010. That's next year! If you have any interest in helping make this Fallen Soldier Memorial memorial a reality, check out this website:
http://www.idahogwotmemorial.com/
