MEMORIAL: Will be open all week at Calvary Christian Center
and Iraq War veteran and is a recipient of a Purple Heart with two Bronze Stars Medals.
“Any chance I have to show my respect to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, I’ll do what I can,” said Rivera before the event. “I think there needs to be more events like this. More institutions need to do more to remember the men and women who not only didn’t come back, but also the ones who did come back, but left a little bit of themselves on the battlefield.”
Rivera took time before the event, scanning the 21 panels for familiar names and made some charcoal rubbings.
Beale Air Force Base’s Wing Commander Colonel Larry Broadwell provided the opening address and performed the laying of the wreath.
“Any time that the community reaches out and shows love for its local military base, it’s always special,” said Broadwell before the event. “I feel that love everyday when I come into this community and we are going to see it on display here as we memorialize 6,784 that have fallen.”
David and Kelly Quinones, accompanied by their six-month-old daughter, were in attendance, perching up against a building’s shade prior to the event.
David, who attends Calvary Christian with his wife, said he had an opportunity to construct portions of the memorial.
“They pay the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “For me, one day of doing the construction is nothing. I can sweat over that. They give their life for us.”
Kelly Quinones, whose grandfather and uncle both served in the military, said Calvary’s memorial gave her a deeper appreciation of Memorial Day.
“When I first experienced this event, I was in awe,” she said. “I always thought I knew what Memorial Day was about, but I never truly knew what it was about until I came out here.”
The Freedoms Heroes Memorial will be open all week long and conclude with closing ceremonies on Sunday and on Memorial Day, Monday.
The Calvary Christian Center will host exhibits for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Echoes of Honor, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a replica of an Afghanistan base camp, jungle patrol and a Vietnam Memorial Wall.
Sunday’s guest speaker will be Kris “Tonto” Paronto, who survived the infamous Sep. 11-12, 2012, Benghazi attack in Libya. On Memorial Day, Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam veteran Dave Roever will speak.