Washington State Dept. of Veterans Affairs
John King, Director
Media Contact: Adolfo Capestany - (360) 709-5233
Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
OLYMPIA - The Washington State World War II Memorial Committee has
announced February 19, [1999] as the last day to purchase commemorative
tiles that will be a part of the memorial to be built on the capitol grounds
in Olympia.
The 4" x 8" granite tiles can be purchased to honor anyone and will
permanently surround the memorial. For a $75 donation, donors can have
a message engraved on three lines of up to 20 characters per line. Only
2,000 tiles will be made available, with nearly 1,500 already sold.
"These tiles are a fantastic way to remember friends and loved ones who
served during the war in the military or on the home front, or to simply say
thank you," said Veterans Affairs Director John King, who also chairs
the memorial committee. "They give people a chance to become a part
of this legacy to remember a special generation of Americans."
King notes that the deadline is being necessitated by the project's
manufacturing and construction timelines. He said any remaining unsold
tiles will be made available to the public at a later date after the memorial
is constructed, but at an increased donation level which will be determined
by future production costs.
A minimum of $700,000 is needed for construction of the long-awaited
memorial. So far nearly $670,000 has been raised from citizens, veterans'
groups, municipalities, labor and fraternal organizations, and small
businesses. Construction of the memorial is scheduled to begin in early
March, with dedication and unveiling ceremonies planned for May 28. [1999]
For more information about the memorial or to purchase a tile, contact the
state Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-562-2308, or write to:
World War II Memorial
P.O. Box 41150
Olympia, WA 98504-1150.
