Remembering California's Fallen. Exhibit makes appearance at West Hills College

This memorial and 17 other state memorials representing half of our nation's Fallen since 9/11/01 have been created by Patriotic Productions, a non-profit organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

The memorial hits the road again next week for a stop in Fresno at the University of Phoenix, 45 River Park Place West.  It will be there all week beginning Monday, May 20 and finishing May 24.

Ron Zell, an Air Force veteran, is the California representative responsible for the traveling exhibition. He is responsible for making sure the poignant memorial gets from one place to the next in California. “My wife and I saw the exhibit in San Diego,” remembered Zell. He was moved by the exhibit and wanted to get involved. “I called the people who created the exhibit, and I asked how I could help.”

Next thing you know he’s in charge of California’s exhibit, getting it from one place to another.

How to donate

The goal is to complete a memorial for every state. More information is available at RememberingOurFallen.org or PatrioticProductions.org.

The inspiration for “Remembering Our Fallen” came from a Nebraska father who felt that his son, Sgt. Joshua Ford had been forgotten.

A special opening ceremony was held on Monday, May 13 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the West Hills College Lemoore Student Union at 555 College Ave.

“We must remember these American Heroes and speak their names when we see their family members.  We can never forget those who sacrificed everything for our freedom,” said Bill Williams, co-creator of the memorial.  “While this memorial is about those who have died, it was created for the living…to help the families in their grief, while reminding the rest of us of the terrible price paid for our freedom by our current generation of the military.” 

The photo memorial, which includes military and personal photos of each of California’s Fallen, is traveling throughout the state. Included in the list of California’s fallen is Lemoore High School graduate Jeremy Bow, a Marine killed in Iraq in 2004.

Another Lemoore grad, Otis Tolbert, a Navy veteran who lost his life on Sept. 11, 2001, when a terrorist guided an airliner into the Pentagon, is missing from the wall. When told of this, Zell indicated that once he received the information, Tolbert would be included. He’s hoping he can get that information in by the time the exhibit moves to Fresno.

“West Hills College Lemoore is honored to host this memorial wall,” said Dr. Kristin Clark, WHCL President. “We are grateful for the sacrifices our service persons make each day, and especially for the ultimate sacrifice made by these men and women and their families.” 

The financial sponsor of the memorial is Bellevue University, a private, non-profit University in Bellevue, Nebraska. Founded in 1966, it has been a military-friendly school for 45 years.

The memorials are created by Patriotic Productions, a non-profit, with the mission of completing a memorial for every state.

Bellevue University was an early adopter of distance learning and is now a leader in online education with students in every state and 55 foreign countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq.