Gov. Gordon to speak at opening for ‘Remembering Our Fallen Memorial’
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon will be a guest speaker at the opening ceremony for the “National Remembering Our Fallen Memorial” Monday, July 27, in the Walter H. Nolte Gateway Center parking lot.
The opening ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the keynote speech presented by Megan Schafer, a Gold Star Mother. The event will also feature Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College president and Nicholas Whipps, Ed.D., veteran and international student coordinator at Casper College.
“Gov. Gordon will talk about service and sacrifice and what it means to be a Wyomingite, and Megan Schafer will talk about what it means to be a Gold Star Mother and the lasting impact her son Jason had on so many people,” said Whipps.
The opening ceremony, along with the memorial display, is free and open to the public. “We are holding this opening ceremony outside to accommodate social distancing protocols of 6 feet between all in attendance,” Whipps said. “All Casper College Veterans Club members and speakers will wear masks, and those attending are asked to wear masks as well, though it is not required,” Whipps added.
According to Whipps, 21 of those honored in the “National Remembering Our Fallen Memorial” are from Wyoming. The memorial will be open around the clock from noon Monday, July 27, until it closes at noon Wednesday, Aug. 5.
A special memorial escort will take place Sunday, July 26. “This is an excellent opportunity for folks to honor the ‘National Remembering Our Fallen Memorial’ and escort it to Casper from Torrington,” said Whipps. A free ice cream social will be held on the east side of City Park facing Wolcott Street, where the escort will be passing. The ice cream social is sponsored by a Casper Gold Star Family.
The escort is open to all modes of transportation, and fraternal organizations are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the event,” Whipps said. “Groups are asked to arrive one hour early, and the event will stage based on weather and vehicle type, with veterans taking priority,” he added.
The memorial will cross the Nebraska state line into Wyoming and arrive at a “Welcome to Wyoming” reception at the Torrington Travel Terminal in Torrington July 26. At 9 a.m., the escort will leave the Torrington Travel Terminal and arrive at the Camp Guernsey Gate at 9:45, followed by Glendo at 10:20, Douglas at 11:10, Glenrock at 11:50, and finally the Casper Hat Six Travel Center at 12:20 p.m. A flag line will welcome the escort to Casper College at 1:30 p.m.
“There is no planned stop in Douglas, but the escort will swing off at Exit 135 to pick up riders at the Broken Wheel Truck Stop,” said Whipps.
For those wanting to be a part of the escort, contact John Petley at 307-262-6331. For more information on the event itself, contact Whipps at 307-268-2510 or nwhipps@caspercollege.edu.