Program: Colorado Freedom Memorial

The September 16, 2024 program was “Rick Crandall and the Colorado Freedom Memorial –25 Years in the Making and More to Come”

Rick, who is passionate about the Colorado Freedom Memorial, made it come alive as he described the Memorial and how it came abou:

On May 30, 2000, Rick Crandall broadcast his morning radio show from the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. After the four-hour program the equipment was packed up and the thank-yous were shared and then Rick took one last walk through the cemetery not realizing he would be carrying something home with him and it was something he couldn’t shake.

For the last 25 years the Colorado Freedom Memorial and Rick Crandall have been synonymous. What started as an idea after a radio broadcast from France has become one of the most unique military memorials in the country, and it’s about to get bigger!  

This is the first memorial in America dedicated to ALL wars, ALL branches of service and containing the names of all those who died from a single state in those wars.

Rick explained the significance of the angled glass walls–chaos of war.

 

The Colorado Freedom Memorial is located in Aurora, Colorado near Buckley Air Force Base. Constructed of glass panels that reflect Colorado’s mountains and blue skies the Memorial holds the names of over 6,000 Coloradans killed or missing in action. They are grouped by war, but names will not be alphabetically listed. Much of the Colorado Freedom Memorial is meant to reflect the chaos of war, including the shuffling of names.

And of annual events…the lighting of luminarias.

And of construction to come:

 

PARTNER TABLES AND EVENTS

Christopher M. Falkel  American Legion Post 1260 Will be on hand to Present and Retire the Colors. 

Post Commander Joe Langran will  give a brief update on the name change of the Highlands Ranch Post to the Christopher M. Falkel American Legion Post 1260.

 

There will also be a table with information about the Highlands Ranch Veterans Monument.

The evening ended with attendees singing “God Bless the USA”

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