Be a part of Bloomington’s upcoming veterans memorial

Local nonprofit Bloomington Remembers Veterans has been working closely with the City to plan a veterans memorial on the grounds of the east lawn of Civic Plaza, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road. The goal of the memorial is to honor and recognize veterans, while educating the public about wars and why they were fought.

The Bloomington City Council selected and approved a memorial design by Leo A. Daly. It captures the themes of honor, reflection, education, community and the future. The six military branches will be recognized in the design through armatures and service emblems. Individual recognition will be provided through oversized symbolic dog tags hanging from the armatures with QR codes that visitors can scan to learn more about the veteran listed and their service.

How to honor a veteran in the memorial

The process is simple. You can purchase a dog tag to recognize a veteran, living or deceased, for serving during any period, peace or war time. A veteran being honored can be from Bloomington and beyond.

Bloomington Remembers Veterans is selling dog tags on the memorial for $350 apiece. Each dog tag includes a listing of name, military branch, years of service or conflict and any special recognition. The QR code on the tag will lead to an online page with a veteran’s story shared by family and friends in their words. Use your phone to scan the QR code, below, to see a sample page. Or visit blm.mn/dogtag. Commemorative holiday packages are available for gifting. Call 952-334-3859 for details.

Other ways to support the memorial

Community support will be critical in bringing this project to fruition. To learn more about dog tag holiday gift packages, donating or volunteering with the project visit bloomingtonveteransmemorial.org.