At the posted coordinates you will find a 7-foot-tall statue, created by sculptors George and Mark Lundeen of Loveland, Colorado. The monument depicts Apollo 11 astronauts Collins, Armstrong and Aldrin, each in their spacesuits, looking up to the sky. Neenah architect Steve Gries designed the base and Fox Crossing's Miron Construction built it. Abe Weber, Appleton International Airport director, asked businessman John Bergstrom for something for the property's roundabout, Bergstrom chose the astronauts to inspire pride in America and the accomplishment of putting men on the moon. “People dreamed about going to the moon for 1,000 years and we did it,” he said. “If I could send a message with this sculpture, it would be to the young boys and girls in America that anything is possible. You can do anything if you get an education." This statue is a reproduction of the original artwork that now is the permanent centerpiece of the center’s new Moon Tree Garden, which is outside the center’s Apollo Saturn V Center museum dedicated to the Apollo space program at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin into an initial Earth-orbit of 114 by 116 miles. An estimated 650 million people watched Armstrong's televised image on July 20, 1969 as he took the first steps onto the Moon.
“I think we’re going to the Moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It’s by the nature of his deep inner soul. We’re required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.” — Neil Armstrong
“What I want to remember most is the glance between Neil and myself, with the engine shutoff, just that second after we touched down, because we had just completed the most critical door opening for space exploration in all of humanity.”– Buzz Aldrin
“I really believe that if the political leaders of the world could see their planet from a distance of, let’s say 100,000 miles, their outlook would be fundamentally changed. The all-important border would be invisible, that noisy argument suddenly silenced.” – Michael Collins
To claim credit for this cache, please send me a message with the following information:
1. What same item do all three figures hold?
2. What item is on the patch on the left shoulder of the figures?
3. According to the plaque, who donated the sculpture?
4. Take a photo of yourself or your group at the location that includes the astronauts or the plaque on the base.
You may log the cache immediately. Failure to send the correct answer to all 3 questions within 1 week and/or logging your photo, or revealing the answers in your log or photos, will result in your log being deleted.
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There is no parking at the Roundabout. Short-term parking is free for the first 30 minutes near the posted Parking coordinates. After the first 30 minutes, you will be charged $2.00 up to the first hour and $1.00 each half-hour after that.
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and December 31, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache.