The “Remembering” statue.
The two statues slated to be installed will honor the loss and sacrifice made by families and members of the military. The “Gold Star” statue is a life size rendition of a mother/wife kneeling holding her son, daughter, or husbands’ folded casket flag. The “Remembering” statue is a life size rendition of a kneeling soldier reaching out remembering his fallen brothers and sisters.
The Vietnam Veterans of Ventura County, Inc., which was founded in 1985 as a 501(c)19 non-profit corporation Fed id# 93-0966053 & CA state id #C1535008, along with a special partnership with high school students from Architecture Construction and Engineering (ACE) Charter High School, measurements and architectural placement of the statues were created.
“Memorials are built by those whose freedoms were protected by our veterans, and it is important for our students to feel that connection,” stated John Middleton, ACE Charter Principal.
Both statues are the emotionally stirring works of Sutton Betti, the son of the late David Betti, former VVVC president and former Commander of Ventura VFW Post 1679.
Supervisors Kelly Long added, “This will be a nice facelift to the Memorial that was originally put in place in 1985 and will provide a place of healing for Ventura County residents who have lost a loved one in a military conflict.”
The exact date of the installation is not yet determined. The installation of the statues are dependent upon the fundraising efforts of the various veterans’ groups, fraternal organizations & public and private donations.
If you would like more information about this project or how to contribute to support it, please contact:
Ron Fitzgarrald, [email protected]
Richard Camacho, [email protected]
Brian Miller, Chief of Staff for Supervisor Kelly Long at (805) 654-2276
Maruja Clensay, Chief of Staff for Chair of the Board Matt LaVere at (805) 654-2703.
