Friday, March 13, 2015

Groundbreaking Ceremony – 9:35 a.m.

Due to limited cemetery site parking, only invited guests and credentialed press can attend the brief site groundbreaking.  This will be a photo opportunity only.

2900 Parker Flats Road, Seaside, CA 93955

Community Ceremony – 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The community ceremony is open to the public, will begin with the Posting of Colors and end with special recognition for families of deceased veterans.

General Stilwell Community Center, 4260 Gigling Road, Seaside, CA 93955

Featured speakers:
Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) 17th Senate District, Senate Majority Leader
Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel) 20th Congressional District
Colonel Paul W. Fellinger, Jr., Commander, Presidio of Monterey Garrison
George Eisenbach, Director, National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Keith Boylan, Deputy Secretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs
Jack Stewart, County Military & Veterans Affairs Officer, U. S. Army (Retired)

BACKGROUND:  Nearly 25 years ago, a group of veterans and family members began a mission to honor veterans by establishing a Veterans Cemetery on the California Central Coast.  The California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery (CCCVC) site covers more than 78 acres on the former Fort Ord Army post and provide a place of final rest for veterans and their spouses.  The Phase I construction plan includes the construction of the main entrance, roads, an assembly area, a committal shelter, columbaria, 5,000 columbarium niches, landscaping, a memorial walkway, and supporting infrastructure for 17 acres.  Completion of Phase I is anticipated to be July 17, 2016.  The CCCVC is expected to inter more than 100,000 veterans and family members who live in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Santa Clara, and San Luis Obispo counties.  CalVet currently operates two cemeteries, Yountville and Igo.  For more information, please visit www.fora.org.