August 2011 Newsletter

Anita Dixon's Corner

Great news! Senator Bob Dole has agreed to be a Spokesman in a commercial for Operation Freedom Memorial! The commercial should be done by next week. Susanne Dwyer of Case Moses Zimmerman & Martin, PA has graciously agreed to cover the cost of sending a film crew to film the commercial.

I’m also very happy to announce the addition of two new OFM board members; Tracey Corriston, Vice-President - Media, Marketing, Fundraising and Tamara Molnar, Fundraising Committee Chairperson. Tracy and Tamara are responsible for organizing our charity golf tournament this month and are planning other future events.

Wednesday, Aug 3, 2011, the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners presented the Operation Freedom Memorial Foundation, Inc. with a proclamation designating Aug 15-21, 2011 as Honor and Remember Kansas Fallen Patriots Week. Mrs. Dixon stated, "This proclamation supports the mission of the OFM to raise awareness in celebrating the lives and legacies of our Kansas service members who have sacrificed their lives defending against terrorism." The proclamation can be read here.

Upcoming OFM TV interviews scheduled: KWCH-TV 12 “The Talk” 2pm August 11th and KAKE-TV 10 “News at 11:00am” August 17th.

OFM will share a booth with American Legion Post 408 (Derby) for the Blacktop Nationals held at the Century II arena on August 26-28.

Honor & Remember Charity Golf Classic

OFM will hold a local charitable golf tournament on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at Hidden Lakes Golf Course in Derby (Wichita), Kansas. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Operation Freedom Memorial Foundation, Inc. and Veterans Emergency Transition Services.US, Inc.

The event is a four-person scramble starting at 1:30 p.m. Hidden Lakes Golf Course is located at 6020 South Greenwich Road in Derby (Wichita), Kansas. Registration and practice begins at 11:30 a.m. The day includes 18 holes of golf on one of the finest courses in Derby (Wichita), skill contests, dinner in the Hidden Lakes Clubhouse, live and silent auctions, celebrity team spot auctions and prizes. Entry fees are $360 per team or $90 per golfer.

Tracey Corriston and Tamara Molnar have done a great job organizing this event and have secured many prizes, gifts and sponsors for the tournament from both local and national businesses. If you would like to become a sponsor or donate prizes for the golf tournament contact Tracey or Tamara today. See OFM Golf for more details and a list of prizes.

Space is limited so register team today.

Nick Williams Marathon Run Fundraiser

Nick Williams is a marathon runner who is donating his efforts towards OFM. Nick will compete in Charlotte, NC to run the Thunder Road Marathon Saturday, November 12, 2011. Nick has graciously offered to match the first $5,000 donated to OFM in his name.

Nick is scheduled for an interview on Aug 17th at 11:30am with KAKE News at 11:00am, KAKE-TV Channel 10.

Tony Clark

Wichitan Tony Clark finished 21st Wednesday (July 13) in the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, an ultimate endurance test from Death Valley, Calif., to Mount Whitney, Calif.

Clark, a 33-year-old Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan, did not beat his goal of finishing in 30 hours but still finished the three-day event in 34 hours, 17 minutes and 58 seconds. The route climbed about 8,600 feet from start to finish.

Clark has raised almost $6,000 for Operation Freedom Memorial through the race. He has completed eight 100-mile races. (The Wichita Eagle)

Upcoming Events

We have two new fundraising events that are quickly approaching. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Tracey Corriston is coordinating a Dine for Donation Drive with local restaurants throughout the Wichita and surrounding areas. For anyone interested in participating, it's easy. On 9/11, dine at any of the participating food establishments that have agreed to aid our mission and a certain percentage of the sales will be donated to OFM for that night. As soon as the partnering establishments have been confirmed for this grand event, the information will be posted on the OFM webpage so be sure to check it out regularly as new events are coming to move us to meeting our goal of raising $200,000 for construction of the memorial.

In honor and celebration of Veteran's Day, Tracey Corriston and Tamara Molnar are working on plans for a Sportsman Banquet. The plans for this event are still underway and as soon as a venue has been determined, additional information will be available.

Help us spread the word about upcoming events that aid toward successfully meeting our goal by sharing these events with your friends, family and co-workers. If you are interested in flyers to post at your work place, please contact Tracey Corriston tracey@ofm-ks.com.

Memorial Veteran Pavers

The Operation Freedom Memorial has been designed to include over 600 granite paving stones in the central walkway surrounding the Battlefield Cross and Kneeling Soldier. These solid granite pavers are larger than a normal sized paving stone at 6 inches tall by 10 inches wide, 2 inches thick and are cut from gray granite.

Honor any of your relatives or friends, living or deceased, from any state, who have served our country by acquiring a solid granite paver for them to be placed in the Operation Freedom Memorial central walkway. These granite pavers can be engraved with personalized information to honor a veteran for generations to come. Reserve your paver today for only $100. Click here for more info.

Memorial Veteran Organization Pavers

In addition to the individual Veteran Pavers, OFM is also offering a larger paver that will be set in the sidewalk leading into the memorial. These pavers are available to any legally chartered veterans organization such as an American Legion or VFW post. Click here for more info.

In Honor of Fallen Soldiers Medallions

If you haven’t seen them yet you will definitely want one when you do. The medallion is a somewhat heavy metal concho hung on a V shaped hanger suspended by a Dog Tag chain. The center is a raised battlefield cross on a flag background with the words In Honor of Fallen Soldiers Medallion written in the border. When you see them they make you feel very humbled by the sacrifice made by our military sons and daughters. The medallions came about from a mother searching for a meaning to her son's death. When she came across the concho she knew she had to have one, and that she had to share its healing comfort with everyone she met. She was recently honored to present a medallion to the Iraq veteran who received a new home from the Extreme Makeover Home Edition right after he saw his new home. The very first one she put together was given to a veteran to take to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, so what better way to carry on than to sell them to raise money for our own Memorial wall here in Kansas. There has been a tremendous amount of support from the local veteran community and the general public is now finding out about these small treasures. We may not make a lot of money with them, but it gives everyone a little piece of the memorial, and every time you see one it reminds you of the names on the wall and why we are doing this.

Several people have recently asked about how to obtain an In Honor of Fallen Soldiers Medallion. As of this time you must get them directly from Gold Star Mother Denise Lange. This can be done by sending an email to denise@ofm-ks.com.

How to support Operation Freedom Memorial

You can check our web site and Facebook page and subscribe to our mailing list to keep on top of our development. You can help us raise the money needed to construct the OFM memorial by Memorial Day 2012 by donating, telling your friends and associates about us or by purchasing a granite paving stone for the memorial.

OFM - PO Box 782414 - Wichita, KS 67278

info@ofm-ks.com - www.ofm-ks.com - Calendar - Donations - Memorial Pavers - Join Mailing List

The Operation Freedom Memorial Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit organization (501C-3) established to plan, design, fund and construct the Operation Freedom Memorial in Veterans Memorial Park, Wichita, KS.

The memorial will be "Dedicated in Memory of the Kansas men and women of the United States Armed Forces who sacrificed their lives in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon September 11, 2001 and during Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. And in sincere appreciation of all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces during the war on terrorism."