October 29, 2009

Fellow Veterans and Supporters,
      The Silver Spring Township Veterans Memorial Committee cordially invites you to attend a special viewing of the memorial proposals we've received in our recent design competition this coming Veteran's Day.  The committee will be displaying the 25 designs at the Silver Spring Fire Department's community room (6471 Carlisle Pike, next to the township building) at an open house from 7:00-8:30pm, Wednesday November 11th, 2009.    The designs have not been shown to the general public.   You have been selectively invited because of your interest and support for our project.  You will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the designs, ask questions, learn about our committee's mission and goals, and enjoy light refreshments during your visit.  Feel free to bring friends, but please include them in your count when replying.  I ask that you RSVP by 7 November to oif14vet@gmail.com, so we may plan accordingly.  
       A key component of the memorial is education.   We will honor sacrifice and inspire service through the stories of veterans, both past and present.  Our website, www.sstveteransmemorial.com, features a Veteran of the Month (VOM) article.   The committee receives nominations of veterans, who we then interview to share their stories and personal experiences to inspire others to serve their communities.   In the future, we hope to have local students conduct the interviews and author VOM articles.   As our website grows, we will offer more information, such as links to military historical sites and basic veteran information.
      I hope that you are able to attend this special viewing and enjoy the professional artistry and creativity invested in these designs.  I applaud each artist that took the time to honor our nation's veterans.   Thank you for your time and interest in our project.  The members of the Veterans Memorial Committee look forward to meeting you and showing you our designs.