“A reminder that we will forever honor the proud principles upon which our nation was founded, and that we will never forget the spirit and heroism of those who have, and will, answer the call of duty.” These words describe the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial – A National Tribute, now under construction on the grounds of the Grant Sawyer Building on Washington Avenue.
Saturday the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial Foundation hosted a ceremony honoring veterans and recognizing the construction contractors and suppliers and their employees who are building the Memorial. Hirschi Masonry is proud and honored to be among the companies participating on this project and several members of the team were on hand for the ceremony and associated events.
The ceremony was highlighted by speeches from Blake Boles from the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, Alan Schrimpf of the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial Foundation, Tom Warden of the Howard Hughes Corporation, Hugh Sinnock from the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and Lt. Governor Mark Hutchison.
Both Schrimpf and Lt. Gov. Hutchison specifically mentioned the contribution of the Hirschi Masonry team to the project as well as the teamwork and coordination of all the contractors and suppliers involved.
One of the unique challenges of this project is, in order to accommodate all of the companies who stepped up to help, it is necessary to use multiple companies for the same portion of the work. For instance, three masonry companies – Hirschi Masonry, Frehner Masonry and Iovino Masonry – all contributed workmen to the project. In fact, workers from all three companies worked side-by-side after the completion of the ceremony to top off the walls.
Members of the Hirschi team even joined with the employees from Frehner for a group photo. Everyone on the project is more than willing to put aside their competitive differences to make this fantastic memorial the best it can be for our veterans.
In addition to the dignitaries mentioned above, representatives of several of the contractors and suppliers as well as Southern Nevada Home Builders Association Executive Director Nat Hodgson, state Sen. Patricia Farley and several military veterans were present.
After the speeches were given all the attendees and participants – dignitaries, construction people, veterans and the media on hand – headed over to the memorial. There, veterans joined some of the luminaries in a ceremonial laying of block.
Lt. Gov. Hutchison even sported Hirschi Masonry safety gear for this portion of the ceremony!
The Las Vegas Veterans Memorial is scheduled to be completed in May. 18 larger-than-life statues, representing veterans from our nation’s conflicts from the Revolutionary War through the Global War on Terror will be featured in the Memorial. The Memorial is made possible through donations to the Foundation, including donations of labor and materials from the subcontractors and suppliers participating in its construction.
