Philanthropist Lois Pope Challenges States To Raise $5 Million, Which She Will Match, For American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial2 March 2006
Lois Pope, the prominent philanthropist who is co-founder and chairperson of the Disabled Veterans LIFE Memorial Foundation, challenged all 50 states today to demonstrate their commitment to America's three million living disabled veterans and all those who have died, by giving them an everlasting holiday gift -- raising a minimum $100,000 each to build the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington D.C. Mrs. Pope will match the funds dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $5 million. The challenge can be met through public and private funds from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Mrs. Pope announced the first gift: $100,000 from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, based in Kansas City, MO.
In addition, the Cincinnati, OH-based Fifth Third Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Fifth Third Bank, has made a $500,000 gift to the DVLMF. The Fifth Third Foundation will match the DVLMF's fundraising efforts up to $100,000 a year for five years.
The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial will be the first national memorial honoring America's disabled veterans. The DVLMF is building the memorial on a two-plus acre site in view of the U.S. Capitol Building and across from the U.S. Botanic Gardens.
Created through a federal law signed by President Clinton in 2000, the memorial will be completed in the next several years. The DVLMF is conducting a $65 million campaign to build the memorial; by law, all donations must come from the private sector-no federal public funds may be used. The DVMLF has raised over $10 million to date.
"I hope that people in all 50 states will be inspired by my challenge," Mrs. Pope said. "Each is home to disabled veterans who have lost parts of their bodies, and in some cases their minds, serving our nation. More than 15,000 troops alone have been wounded in Iraq, including over 7,000 with severe injuries to the spine, head, organs and limbs. We have a responsibility to ensure that they, and the millions of other disabled American veterans who have given so much more than was asked of them, are never neglected or erased from our memory. That is the purpose of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. It will be the gift of the American people to these unsung heroes who continue to bear the scars of military service long after the guns have fallen silent and the memory of their sacrifice has faded from our consciousness."
Commander-in-Chief Jim Mueller said the VFW is honored to be among the first veterans' service organizations to offer financial support to the DVLMF for the memorial. "This memorial will honor the service and sacrifice of the three million disabled veterans living today," said Mueller, a Vietnam veteran. "It will serve as a constant reminder to all Americans that there's a cost to war that continues long after the last shots have sounded."
Fifth Third Foundation President and CEO George A. Schaefer, Jr., a West Point graduate and Vietnam veteran, said: "The memorial is an important tribute to the millions of men and women that have been hurt defending freedom around the world. Fifth Third supports the memorial in recognition of their sacrifice. On behalf of our employees and customers, Fifth Third salutes all disabled veterans who helped protect our American values and way of life."
Disabled American Veterans National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson, president and co-founder of the DVLMF, said: "Through the remarkable generosity of the VFW and the Fifth Third Foundation, we will honor and celebrate America's patriots who have paid dearly for our freedom. With their foresight and commitment, these organizations are supporting the construction of a national memorial that will express America's lasting gratitude to the men and women whose lives were forever changed in service to our country. This memorial will become one of our nation's most treasured landmarks."
For more information, visit http://www.avdlm.org.
Source: prnewswire
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