Baylor To Honor 'Fallen Heroes' with Sept. 9 Ceremony, 'Lost Heroes Art Quilt' Display
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Event honors service members' ultimate sacrifice, growing number of veterans on campus
Baylor University will hold "A Tribute to Fallen Heroes," an event to remember the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who have given their lives in service to the country and to honor those who continue to serve, at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, on the northwest patio of Moody Memorial Library.
The event also will recognize Baylor's Air Force and Army ROTC detachments, as well as the growing number of military veterans, now numbering about 120, who are Baylor students.
In addition to the tribute, the Lost Heroes Art Quilt - created by artist Julie Feingold to honor U.S. service members who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001 - will be on display on Friday in the Allbritton Foyer of Moody Library. The exhibition at Baylor is the final stop on the quilt's two-year tour. On Sept. 11, the quilt will be presented to Arlington National Cemetery, where it will be on display in the visitor's center through November.
The Sept. 9 program will feature remarks and a tribute to fallen service men and women by Brig. Gen. Joseph DiSalvo, III Corps Deputy Commanding General at Fort Hood. Texas State Sen. Brian Birdwell, a retired Army officer who survived critical burns over 60 percent of his body after a hijacked airliner crashed into the Pentagon, also will bring brief remarks. Waco Mayor Jim Bush will read a proclamation on behalf of the city, while Baylor President Ken Starr will offer closing remarks and prayer.
Patriotic music will be presented by the Fort Hood Jazz Ensemble of the First Cavalry Division Band.
Special guests will include local elected officials and representatives of local veterans' organizations and the Veterans Administration Waco Regional Office, as well as Gold Star Mothers , who have lost a son or daughter in service to the country, and Blue Star Mothers, who have children serving or who have served.
A reception following the program will be held in the Allbritton Foyer of Moody Library.
Guests also are invited to tour "Not Forgotten," an exhibit in the W.R. Poage Legislative Library that provides a visual remembrance of the events of Sept. 11 and aftermath of the tragic day. The exhibit will run through Dec. 2.
The tribute event is open to the campus community and the general public. Parking is available in the Dutton Avenue Parking Facility.
About Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions.
Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275