A display featuring hundreds of photos is about to start its Iowa tour, honoring members of the military who’ve died in combat since the Nine-Eleven attacks of 2001. The exhibit called “Remembering Our Fallen” is sponsored by Bellevue University, just south of Omaha, Nebraska. Jim Maxwell is a spokesman for the school.
“The exhibit…was created to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,” Maxwell says. “It’s a legacy that these men and women will never be forgotten and their names will be remembered and spoken.” The display includes photos of 98 service members from Nebraska and Iowa who have died in the War on Terror in the past decade. Maxwell says the exhibit has been at Bellevue University since late March and it’s brought an emotional response like nothing else they’ve had on campus.
“Some people have left written notes on the display itself to be given to the families at a later date,” he says. “If you view the display yourself, you’re used to seeing people in uniform but when you start to see photos of people in their everyday lives, people in roles as fathers, wives and mothers and you see children in the photos, it really hits home.”
Maxwell says the exhibit is especially moving because of where the university is located. “We’re right next door to Offutt Air Force Base, a close connection to the military so we’re very proud,” he says. “Nearly 20-percent of our students are active duty or military veterans and our student veterans association chapter is one of the largest in the nation. This isn’t just another sponsorship. This is something we are very proud to be a part of.”
As of May 1st, the display will start what is hoped to be a national campaign, appearing at various locations in Nebraska and Iowa through the end of the year.
Iowa schedule: May 1, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., private unveiling to families of the fallen; 1:30 p.m. program open to the public 2-4 p.m., Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, Adel; May 2-5, State Capitol Rotunda, Des Moines; May 8-14, Centre Mall, Sioux Center; May 16-22, Community Center, Exira; May 24-30, Courthouse, LeMars; June 13-18, Shenandoah Chamber & Industry Association, Shenandoah; June 20-25, Wilson Performing Arts Center, Red Oak; July 22-29, Site TBD, Muscatine; September 6-11, Onawa Public Library, Onawa; September 13-17, Stanton School, Stanton; September 18, Remembrance Run, Sandpiper Rec Area, Saylorville Lake.