1. Plain Township Salute to Troops

2. Agenda  Special Guest Introduction  Mission – Purpose  Veteran Demographic  Memorial Design & Space Requirements  Cost /Funding/Maintenance  Vested – Interested Parties  Time Table  Future Programming Use

3. Special Guests Gold Star Mother – Thea Dryden Mother to Stacy Ann Dryden Lance Corporal, US Marine Corp. January 16, 1998 – October 19, 2008 Operation Iraqi Freedom Gold Star Mother – Kathy Patron Mother to US Marine Corp Sergeant Danny Patron Staff Sergeant Bryan Bowman – Ohio Army National Guard with the 737th Forward Support Company Veterans Outreach & Constituent Services – Congressman Jim Renacci (16 th - OH) Veterans in Attendance

4. Mission - Purpose A permanent memorial site to recognize the service and sacrifices of those who have served and those who have paid the ultimate price of freedom

6. Demographic Breakdown – Plain Township & Stark County

7. To Summarize  The VA estimates that Stark County has 29,509 veterans.  The VA also estimates that 70% of veterans live in urban areas; however, they term urban as communities with a population of 50,000.  Plain Township makes up 14% of Stark County.

8. Proposed Site Location

9. Memorial Design & Space Requirements Two tiered memorial with peak of hill marked by 16’ black and grey granite Memorial The vision includes a walking Path to and around the memorial in the form of ribbon. Ideally incorporate community sponsored pavers.

10. Grief never ends…but it changes. It’s a passage. Not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness. Nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love.

11. Cost/Funding/Maintenance Cost: Main Memorial Cost $66,000 Include Four (4) benches plus two polished jet black monuments including lettering and setting – Total Investment $74,000 plus tax Funding Sources: Foundations Corporate/Business Sponsorship Veteran and Civic Organizations Private Donations Pavers/Benches Maintenance: Concrete sealing Weeding

12. Vested – Interested Parties  Plain Local Schools – STEM & Arts  Local Universities Architecture and Arts Programs  Veterans Groups – VFW, American Legion  Stark Parks  Historical Society  Plain Township Rotary  Gold Star Families  Blue Star Families  Buckeye Council – Boy Scouts of America  Community Foundations  The Patriot Project – Dr. Tim Novelli  Flags of Freedom

13. Time Table  Official renaming of “Plain Township Schneider Park” to “Plain Township Veterans Park” on Veterans Day November 11, 2015 as part of Salute to Veterans  2016 – Set initial seven flag poles on Schneider Park hillside  Fall 2016/Spring 2017 Set Key Stone monument

14. Future Program Use  Salute to Troops Series – Memorial Day, 4 th of July, Veterans Day  Plain Local Schools educational classroom opportunities  Collaboration with Plain Township Rotary on future Flag Program  Gold Star Family Celebration Annually - September

15. My Yellow Ribbon As I wait patiently for your return, a yellow ribbon I do tie for thee, my thoughts and prayers are all well earned, hoping you’ll come home to me. And if you don’t, I will understand, my eyes I do cry, as I want to see, you did what you had to do in that foreign land. My yellow ribbon I will keep for thee.

16. Salute to Troops Thank You Questions