BMH Makes Donation to Fund Statue at Patriot Field
BLACKFOOT, Idaho – September 22, 2016 – Today, Bingham Memorial Hospital (BMH) presented Bingham County with a check for $20,000 to help fund the creation of a 7-foot, bronze statue in the center of Patriot Field—the new veteran’s memorial park, located across the street from the Bingham County Courthouse downtown Blackfoot.
The statue, however, cannot be built without the additional support of local individuals and business contributions.
The one-of-a-kind statue will be sculpted by Ben Hammond—an Idaho native—and will feature a military officer handing a folded American flag to two children. The bronze statue will become the crowning achievement in Patriot Field, paying tribute to war veterans and prisoners of war from Bingham County.
“The statue will serve as an important reminder for everyone to ‘Never Forget’ those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom,” says Ladd Carter, chairman of the Bingham County commissioners. “I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. And, I’m grateful to Bingham Memorial for their on-going support and dedication to seeing Patriot Field through to completion.”
“We were pleased to present this check to Bingham County,” says Jeff Daniels, CEO of BMH. “I speak for everyone at the hospital when I say we are proud to give back to the community in this way. And, since the statue cannot be built without additional funds, I would like to challenge everyone in the community, individuals and businesses, to make a contribution of any size.”
$80,000 is still needed to have the statue built. Contributions can be made to “The Bingham Economic Development Corp.,” which is recognized as a public charity under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Donations to the Patriot Field bronze statue may be made by making checks payable to “BEDC” with a note in the memo indicating it is for the “Patriot Field Statue.” Checks can be dropped off or mailed to:
Blackfoot City Hall
157 N. St.
Blackfoot, ID 83221
or
Bingham County Courthouse
501 N. Maple
Blackfoot, ID 83221
For additional information about making a donation, please call Scott Reese at (208) 782-3191.
“I’d like to thank everyone in advance who is able to make a contribution or donation to such a noble cause,” says Mr. Carter. “All donations will go towards helping us to finance the creation of the statue, and, in turn, you’ll be giving a veteran’s family and friends a special place to come together to remember the veteran they love.”
About Patriot Field
Several years ago, it was brought to the attention of the commissioners of the county that Bingham County didn’t have a fitting tribute for their veterans. To correct this, the commissioners, as well as many others in the community, have been working tirelessly and passionately for the past few months on a veteran’s memorial park—Patriot Field. The project was primarily funded with county funds and matched with funds from Blackfoot Urban Renewal.
Patriot Field is nearly complete and now includes a stone wall that features about 100 names of Bingham County veterans who were either killed or missing in action. Flags also represent the five branches of the military and prisoners of war.
Patriot Field is now open to the general public, and there are no fees to enter. Everyone in the community, and visitors to Blackfoot, are invited to visit Patriot Field.
About the Sculptor, Ben Hammond
To learn more about the sculptor of the statue, please visit: http://www.benhammondfineart.com/about
About Bingham Memorial Hospital
Bingham Memorial Hospital is a 501(c)3 non-profit critical access hospital located in Blackfoot, Idaho. Bingham Memorial Hospital is committed to the pursuit of excellence in our endeavor to provide a continuum of quality, compassionate, healthcare services for residents and visitors to east Idaho, in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible. They have healthcare facilities in Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Shelley, and Soda Springs, Idaho. For more information, visit binghamhealthcare.org or call (208) 785-4100.
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