Welcome one and all to the Livingston County Veterans' Poppy Monument!
The following is taken from an article to the American Legion by David Terry, Deputy Director of Veteran's Services for Livingston County, on October 13, 2019:
Members of The American Legion, Sons of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary of Livingston County, New York joined forces with other veteran organizations, local veterans and their families in the creation of the Livingston County Veteran Monument. Participants ranged from ages four to 98. Veterans came together in unity to create 250 metal poppies. The creation of this monument is unique because it was made by veterans for veterans, and its purpose is to celebrate the veteran population and showcase local veteran organizations such as The American Legion.
In October 2018 Jason Skinner, director of the Livingston County Veteran Services Agency, first pitched a poppy monument idea to Olie Olson, metal trades teacher to junior and senior high school students at Genesee Valley Education Partnership in Mt. Morris, New York. Olson came up with the idea of an American flag-shaped monument made with red metal poppies. He stipulated that veterans had to be involved in making the poppies. Along with his teacher assistant, Rory Benkleman, they volunteered their time after school to teach welding and guide veterans through the process. Skinner proposed the partnership to the Livingston County Board of Supervisors. With many initial unknowns, a unanimous vote of approval was made for the Livingston County Veteran Monument to be established.
While veterans made poppies, site development was under the leadership of Marine Corps veteran/leader of Patriot Guard Riders, and )now former) Superintendent of the Livingston County Highway Department, Don Higgins. 5,000 tons of gravel and crusher run materials were compacted and spread as the foundation; extensive drainage systems in place for integrity of the site overtime and accessible parking were made. Rather than competing, four local paving companies worked together to pave a six-inch-thick 125.5’ X 65’ flag shaped monument. 250 red poppies serve as the seven red stripes, and range from 1’ to 5’ tall and will swivel to emulate a waiving flag in prevailing winds. Six white stripes are sidewalks between poppies, and blue canton is reserved for ceremonies surrounded by branch flags.
This is not a memorial but a monument, made by veterans for veterans, that epitomizes the greater good of our veteran community and its organizations. A dedication ceremony was to be held at 2:30 pm on November 11, 2019 at the sight of this monument, but it was postponed due to the inclement weather. New dedication ceremony is slated for November 11, 2020.
To log this cache, you must send an email to the CO with 3 things:
1. Besides the shorter height branch flags (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard), there are 4 more flags flying on taller poles. What are the names of the other 4 flags? (If the flags are not flying, please describe as well as you can what color and symbols or writing on each flag.) If any flags are missing, which sometimes happens, please note which pole has a missing flag counting 1 - 4, with flag 5 being the first service flag on shorter poles.
2. Find the poppy dedicated to a KNIGHTED CHEVALIER.
a. What is the name of the veteran and in what war did he participate? (Just include the information on ONLY that dog tag.)
b. Red stripe row ____ and Poppy ____? Counting the red striped rows of staggered poppies from the paved pathway nearest the row of flags, up to the main road from 1 to 7, in what row (from the parking lot up towards the main road) is the KNIGHTED CHEVALIER? Counting from the driveway end down the red striped row, what number is the poppy? NOTE: Answers with Row greater than 7, Poppy N will be rejected and your found log will be deleted.
OPTIONAL, DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR REQUIRED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS: Post a picture of yourself at the monument, without including the other 4 flags or the poppy with the KNIGHTED CHEVALIER.
Example: Red stripe row 2, Poppy 10; Roger Wallace SR, Army Air Corps Medic, WWII
Sorry, but logs with incorrect Row and Poppy Numbers may be deleted. I may also delete logs that do not answer all questions. You have been warned.
This is meant to be patriotic. Posts that are deliberately offensive will be deleted by the CO. You may, if you wish, include information about yourself, a family member, or a friend that is a Veteran.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.
Congratulations to the FTF: veevay