Veterans Memorial Garden Renovation to Begin Week of July 17

Published on July 12, 2023

The Parks and Recreation Department today announced that a Veterans Memorial Garden renovation and improvement project is tentatively scheduled to begin about July 19.

Generous donors from across the community funded this public-private partnership to replace the remaining original Bricks of Honor holders and bricks. Lincoln Parks Foundation led the Enduring Honor fundraising campaign. Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department will manage construction.

“The Veterans Memorial Garden is very important to our community, and we want to thank our generous donors for ensuring that it will continue to honor all veterans and their families,” said Maggie Stuckey-Ross, Parks and Recreation Director. “By replacing these bricks and holders, the Garden will continue to serve as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices veterans have made to preserve our freedom.”

Donors to the Enduring Honor campaign include the following entities and individuals:

Ameritas
Lincoln East Rotary Club
Friends and Family Honoring Keith Fickenscher
Lincoln Parks Foundation
Acklie Charitable Foundation
Sandhills Global
Bison, Inc.
Chris and Judy Beutler
James and Judy Cada
Tom and Lisa Smith
Roland Temme
TMCO
Pinnacle Bank
Olsson Foundation
The Hansen Family, In Memory of Bob Hansen
Wells Fargo Fund
Krieger Family Foundation
Roper & Sons
Chris Stokes
Joe Brownell
In Memory of SP5 William M. Zillig

In 2019, the Department conducted a thorough condition assessment of the Bricks of Honor holders in the Garden. Phase one of the project, which was completed in 2020, replaced the brick holders in most need of repair: the World War II and Pre-1900 holders. This final phase of the project will replace the remaining original brick holders for World War I, Airborne, Korea, Vietnam, Post 1980, Family and Peacetime.

Garden access will be limited during construction. The installation of the new bricks and holders is expected to be completed by Veterans Day in November.

The Bricks of Honor program at Lincoln Parks Foundation offers the opportunity to honor any veteran (living or deceased) who received an Honorable or General Discharge. Brick sale proceeds are dedicated to the improvement and maintenance of the Veterans Memorial Garden, as well as programming in the Garden.

For more information on the project, contact J.J. Yost, Parks and Recreation, at 402-441-8255 or jyost@lincoln.ne.gov. For information about the Lincoln Parks Foundation Bricks of Honor program, visit lincolnparks.org or call 402-441-8258. For more information about the Veterans Memorial Garden, visit lincoln.ne.gov/veteransgarden.