Left to right: Pedro Portillo, Andrew Valenzuela, Thom Torrez, Kris Lohr, Victor Samora. In back: Tony Felix, Bobby Abeyta, (Supervisor), Mario Duron, Jesus Juarez. Not pictured: Michael Ross and Robert Vance (Public Works Director) Five Solid Black Granite Military Monuments placed in park John Glass, Matt Jacquez and Bob Abeyta setting monument

MONTE VISTA – The Monte Vista Community Fund, Inc. (MVCF) announced that the “Five Veterans Monument Project” has been completed.

The project was to place five solid black granite military monuments (US Army, US Marines, US Air Force, US Navy and US Coast Guard) in the Faith Hinkley Veteran’s Memorial Park to honor veterans .  Valley Monument Company owner, John Glass ordered and received the monuments and a list has been complied of the Killed in Action and Prisoners of War veterans.  John will inscribe the names on the monuments of those veterans within the 81144 area code.

Colette Skeff, member of the Monte Vista Community Fund said, “We are so honored and proud to announce the completion of the project, which we undertook in 2019.  It was an important project and our goal was to help in the success to complete the park.”

The Monte Vista Community Fund, Inc. was awarded a grant by the National Society Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR) in the amount of $10,000 on April 14, 2019.  Funding for this project was made possible through the sponsorship of  the DAR Buckeye Valley Chapter #8039, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, located in Buckeye, Arizona.  It was through the efforts of Colette Skeff, a member of the chapter, that this grant was awarded for this project.

The MVCF acknowledges Valley Monument Company owner John Glass and Matt Jacquez, along with the City of Monte Vista, Rob Vance, Public Works Director; Bob Abeyta, Supervisor, and his staff: Andrew Valenzuela, Tony Felix, Thom Torrez, and Mike Ross who assisted with this project and thank them for their time and service to this project.

The DAR grants program was started in 2010.  Funding is awarded to support projects in local communities which promote the organization’s mission areas of historic preservation, education and patriotism.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation’s children.  Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War.  With over 185,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of world’s largest and most active service organizations.  To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org.  For more about applying for a Special Projects Grant from DAR, visit www.dar,org/grants.

For more information, please contact Gina Ragsdale, Regent, Buckeye Valley Chapter #8039, 623-386-1128.