100 Cities / 100 Memorials restoration program launches on July 15

At the end of World War I, thousands of war memorials of every size were built in local communities across the country. Over the decades, under exposure to the elements, these memorials have aged. We must act now – to restore both their physical beauty and our awareness of the men and women they memorialize.

The York County World War I Fairground Memorial (1921) in York, PATo help motivate and support this restoration, the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program is launching on July 15, 2016 with $200,000 in initial funding provided by the World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library for matching grants. These two organizations continue to seek other major funding partners nationwide to expand the funds available to encourage and match the fundraising efforts of the awardees.

The purpose of 100 Cities/ 100 Memorials is to motivate and support the efforts of local organizations across the country to honor the memory of their hometown war heroes, to build awareness of the war’s impact on their local communities, and to restore and provide for the ongoing upkeep of their local World War I memorials, all in time for the nation’s centennial celebrations scheduled for November 2018 – celebrations that will also include the unveiling of the new national World War I Memorial in the nation’s capital.

 

Local organizations, including civic groups, service organizations, veterans groups and others, are being invited to nominate their restoration and commemoration initiatives for consideration to be selected as one of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials matching grant recipients. Suitable recognition for these efforts will be provided to all nominees for their submission; one hundred of these local initiatives will also be selected to receive matching cash awards of up to $2,000 to help fund their restorative efforts.

All nominees and awardees, and their principle sponsors and donors, will receive appropriate national and local recognition for their efforts.

The 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program has been adopted by The American Legion by Resolution of the National Executive Committee.  For more information on the program, visit http://ww1cc.org/100memorials.