Armed Services Day Ceremonies Planned at Rosie the Riveter Park –
National World War II Memorial Artwork to be Dedicated.
Councilwoman Schipske singles out DAR and Mayor Foster for helping raise funds.
Armed Services day will be celebrated at 10 am, Saturday, May 14 at the Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center today announced Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske. There will be a flag presentation by the Army JROTC from Millikan High School to honor our armed forces. A representative of each branch of the military will also attend and read the names of the 12 men who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. A member of the Long Beach Police Department will play "Taps."
The events will also include the public dedication of the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ bas relief produced by Raymond Kaskey, designer of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“Mr. Kaskey reproduced one of his 24 bas reliefs featured at the National World War II Memorial for our Long Beach park,” explains Councilwoman Schipske. “The artwork depicts the women who assembled the airplanes that helped the U.S. win the war. We are grateful to Mr. Kaskey for allowing Long Beach to be the only location outside of Washington, D.C., to display this wonderful work of art.”
Schipske also noted that without the generous support of a number of contributors the bas relief could not have been purchased.
“I specifically want to thank Nancy Alexander, State Regent of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) who made certain that funds raised by DAR went toward this artwork,” says Schipske. “The sales of NSDAR’s publication: ‘The Legacy of Rosie the Riveter – Rosie’s Daughters’ provided funds for the artwork.”
Schipske also thanked Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster for helping raise funds for the artwork. “Mayor Foster’s mother was a ‘Rosie’ and he told me of his interest in the project and offered to put the Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation in contact with several local businesses who might be interested in donating. And they did donate.”
In addition to the NSDAR funds, contributions were received from Southern California Edison, Union Bank, Toyota Auto Body Company (TABC), and Toyota Motor Sales (TMS). The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation is a 501 3 (c) non profit established to develop and enhance the Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center at Conant Street and Clark Avenue.
Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center are located at the corners of Clark Avenue and Conant Street.