Traveling memorial to fallen military heroes to be in Arlington Heights May 12-15
"Remembering Our Fallen," a national, traveling, photographic memorial, is scheduled to arrive at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 12, at North School Park in Arlington Heights, where it will remain until Sunday, May 15.
The display features both military and family-centered images of thousands of U.S. military personnel who perished in service to the nation between Sept. 11, 2001, and Aug. 30, 2021, during the Global War on Terror. And while many of those depicted are from distant towns, others, like U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. James B. Stack, are from right here.
"Remembering Our Fallen" will arrive via escort by members of Rolling Thunder Illinois Chapter 2 and Knights on Bikes May 12. An opening ceremony takes place at noon that day. Opening remarks will come from Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes, retired U.S. Army Col. Wayne Kirkpatrick of Rolling Thunder and Jean Harris, support coordinator with Northern Illinois Survivor Outreach Service.
Those coordinating the exhibit's stop in Arlington Heights -chiefly the Northern Illinois District Knights of Columbus and the village's Veterans Memorial Committee - hope that its presence will stir, educate and comfort.
"Memorials like this are so profoundly moving," said Greg Padovani, a retired U.S. Army major who is chairman of the Arlington Heights Veterans Memorial Committee. "These are the people who make our freedoms possible - anybody who serves, of course - but those who made the ultimate sacrifice, especially."
Both Padovani and Juan Huerta, chairman of the Knights of Columbus Northern Illinois District Organizing Committee, said the exhibit's inclusion of both formal military and more casual, personal photos makes it particularly moving. It's a point on which Gold Star father Bob Stack also agrees. Stack is the father of James B. Stack, who died in November 2010, after his unit took hostile arms fire while deployed in Afghanistan.
The Arlington Heights husband and father was only 20, and only a month into his first deployment, when he died.
"This gives people an opportunity to realize that those who serve in the military are not from somewhere else. They are the kid from down your street," Bob Stack said. "They're the kid who mowed lawns in your neighborhood. I think sometimes that gets lost. Displays like this remind us of that."
Stack and his daughter-in-law, Katie Stack, said they and other Gold Star families welcome any community event that keeps their loved ones' memories vibrant. Both Stacks are scheduled to be among the speakers who will address crowds during 5 p.m. evening ceremonies May 13 and 14, with Katie Stack on May 13 and Robert Stack on May 14.
"Realizing that people still care allows me to keep healing," said Katie Stack, whose daughter Mikayla, now 12, had just turned 1 a week before her father died. "It allows me to keep moving forward, realizing that my husband's sacrifice was not for nothing."
"Remembering Our Fallen" will include a daily opening prayer and pledge of allegiance at 7 a.m. May 13, 14 and 15, at the park, located at the corner of North Evergreen Avenue and East Eastman Street, Arlington Heights. Evening ceremonies take place at 5 p.m. Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14. A closing ceremony will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 15.
The exhibit, produced by Nebraska-based Patriotic Productions Inc., will be open to the public until 7 p.m. Thursday May 12, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, and from 7 a.m. until crews begin disassembling it about 4 p.m. Sunday.
A detailed map of the area around North School Park as well as a complete daily schedule - including a list of participating speakers, Color Guards, Scout troops and more - is available at www.kofcnd1.com/project. Information also is available on the Illinois Knights Remembering Our Fallen Facebook page.