MINNESOTA MILITARY FAMILY TRIBUTE

MINNESOTA STATE CAPITAL MALL

Minnesota Military Family Tribute Fact Sheet

In November 2004, Bill Popp established the Minnesota Military Family Foundation to assist military families. In June 2009, the idea came about to construct a tribute that thanks and honors military families. To make this dream become reality, Bill created The Minnesota Military Family Tribute (MFT) 501(c)3 organization with a mission to build a tribute that would forever stand as a thank you to every military and veteran family member—past, present and future. Working with the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board, a competition to design the tribute on the State Capital Mall in front of the Veterans Services Building was then established. In November 2010, a jury of veterans and designers unanimously selected HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA) to create the Minnesota Military Family Tribute, the first such tribute in the United States. The dedication of the tribute takes place Saturday, June 13, 2015. The tribute recognizes the tremendous sacrifices made by and continual support of family members to military personnel through three major elements:

1. Thank You Military and Veteran Family Walkway

• A curving promenade lined with maple trees changes with the seasons in a sweeping gesture of ongoing gratitude to all of Minnesota’s military families: −   Spring: Red Gardens of red flowering shrub roses, daylilies and poppies anchor each end of the Walkway

to remind us to Remember Everyone Deployed (R.E.D.). −   Summer: Trees shade the pathway and the benches provide places for rest and contemplation. −   Autumn: Tree leaves turn from green to dramatic shades of red, further reminding us to Remember

Everyone Deployed (R.E.D.). −   Winter: Tree silhouettes and their ash-grey bark provide beautiful contrast with the snow.

• The Walkway connects with the Tribute’s two other primary elements: the Story Stones to the east and the Gold Star Table to the west.

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HGA Architects and Engineers Page Two

2. Story Stones

• 87 large stones represent each of Minnesota’s 87 counties. • Every stone is engraved with correspondence sent or received by a service member from that county during

their time of service. These stories provide a window into the lives and sacrifices of our military and veteran families.

• Stories and messages engraved on the stones range from the 1862 to 2014. • The stones are placed in a field of compacted crushed stone on the east side of the Thank You Military and

Veteran Family Walkway. 3. Gold Star Table

• The Gold Star Table is designed to recognize the supreme sacrifice of Gold Star Families; the Gold Star has been used since 1917 to acknowledge the loss of a loved one while in military service.

• The table’s five-pointed foundation resembles the Gold Star. • The bronze table top is engraved with stars of the Northern Hemisphere’s nine constellations. At the center is

the North Star for orientation, which also signifies the Minnesota motto: L’Étoile du Nord, The Star of the North.

• The constellations on the table represent a visual connection between loved ones that are deployed, their

families at home, and the shared stars of the night sky. • The table also represents the primary way in which families come together: to share meals, stories and

laughter; to gather and create memories. • The constellations are accurate to size and will be lit from below at night. • All are welcome to the table to share gratitude and to remember fallen service members and Gold Star

Families.

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Minnesota Military Family Tribute Image Sheet

Minnesota State Capital Mall

Gold Star Table

Story Stones  

Context plan

Minnesota Military Family Tribute Credit Form

Minnesota State Capital Mall

Project Name: Minnesota Military Family Tribute Location: Minnesota State Capitol Mall Client: Minnesota Military Family Tribute Owner: State of Minnesota Start Date: April 10, 2014 Completion Date: June 12, 2015 Dedication Ceremony: June 13, 2015 Size: 1.5 Acres Project Cost: $1,000,000 HGA Project Team Principal: James Goblirsch, AIA, LEED AP Project Manager / Design Team Leader: Theodore Lee, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP Landscape Architecture: Emanouil Spassov, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP Trygve Hansen, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP Karl Krause, ASLA, PLA Ross Altheimer, ASLA, PLA, Associate AIA, FAAR Architecture: Eric Amel, AIA Civil Engineering: Brad Roath, PE, LEED AP Kenny Horns, PE, LEED AP Renee Wait Structural Engineering: Paul Asp, PE Joy Beers, PE John Ellingson, PE Lighting Design: Chrysanthi Stockwell, NCQLP-LC, LEED AP Electrical Engineering: Leigh Harrison, PE Zach Poynter, PE Specifications: Gerhard Guth, AIA CBO CSI CCS LEED AP Cost Estimating: Joe Tarlizzo, LEED AP, CPC Graphic and Written Communication: Ashley Absalom Construction Administration Services: Annette Hardy, Mary Kirk

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Minnesota Military Family Tribute Credit Form

State of Minnesota Department of Administration Real Estate and Construction Services: Ryan Allen, Project Manager Gordon Christofferson, Construction Project Operations Manager Kathy Grochowski, Executive Secretary State Designer Selection Board Sherry Van Horn, Business Operations Manager Talia Landucci Owen, Contracts Specialist Jeanne Caturia, Office & Administrator Specialist Plant Management Division: Anne Johnson, Public Relations Manager Bruce Dzieweczynski, Building Maintenance Coordinator Gene Peterman, Management Analyst Joe Dinnebier, Grounds Support Service Manager Barry Waters, Groundskeeper Jay Johnston, Groundskeeper Howard Hiipakka, Electrical Shop Chad Olson, Electric Shop Materials Management Division: Susan M. Groth, CPPB, Acquisition Management Specialist Debbie Lerdahl, Document Analyst Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board: Paul Mandell, Executive Secretary Nancy Stark, Past Executive Secretary (Ret.) Ted Lentz AIA, President, Cass Gilbert Society Bryan Carlson FASLA, Advisor Thomas Blanck RA, Advisor Paul Mellblom AIA, Advisor Rosemary McMonigal AIA, Past Advisor Minnesota Historical Society Tom Braun, Senior Objects Conservator Minnesota State Council on Disability Margot Imdieke, Accessibility Specialist Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Larry Shellito, Commissioner Nicole Peine Executive II, Commissioner's Office Military Family Tribute (MFT) William J. “Bill” Popp, Chairman Teri E. Popp, President Mary Niemeyer, Past President Dorothy Halverson Larry Shellito, MDVA Commissioner Kate Miller Jenifer Skjerven Laura Chin

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Minnesota Military Family Tribute

Credit Form Additional MFT Committee Members: Mick Anselmo, CBS/WCCO David Chin Samuel Clark Jake Coleman Michael Crusham Dennis Doyle Megan Doyle Julie Drevnick Ken Drevnick Pete Eckerline Martha Eckerline Congressman Tom Emmer Col. (Ret.) James Halverson Lt. Col. (Ret.) Warren G. Herreid II John Hines, WCCO Rachel Horn Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Joe Kelly Senator Amy Klobuchar Laurie Kruhoeffer Theodore Lee, HGA Tom McGill Tom Lyons Tammy Mencel Paula Mertens Tom Mertens Brent Miller Mike Niemeyer

Major General Richard C. Nash Col. (Ret.) Gary D. Olson Col. Kevin Olson Master Sgt. (Ret.) Terrence Palmer Congressman Erik Paulsen Mary Pawlenty The Honorable Tim Pawlenty Kari Rominski Dan Rominski Joe Schmit, KSTP 5 Laura Sahr Schmit Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Denny Schulstad Evonne Shellito Col. (Ret.) Denny Shields Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Harry Sieben Adam Soffer Alex Stanford Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jon Trost Karin Trost Jeff Tyler, iHeartMedia Guy Willis Karrie Willis, VP of Operations & Finance, POPP Communications Chris Wright, Minnesota Timberwolves Representative (Ret.) Kurt Zellers

Astronomy Consultant Mike Lynch, WCCO Professional Services General Contractor: Meisinger Construction Co., Inc. Tom Meisinger, President Joe Meisinger, Superintendent / Foreman Surveying: Sunde Land Surveying, LLC Mark Hanson, PLS Lenny Carlson, PLS Larry Alman, Senior Crew Chief Gorman Surveying, Inc. Dan Gorman 3D Modeling 3D Surface Solutions Brian Van Pelt

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Minnesota Military Family Tribute

Credit Form Geotechnical Inspection Services: Braun Intertec Corporation Nathaniel Reynolds, Project Manager Jesse Gamst, Geotechnical Inspections Technician Earthwork / Demolition Contractor: Kamish Excavation, Inc. Keith Kamish, Excavator Manager Mike Johnson, Excavator Foreman Landscape Contractor: Margolis Company Dave Kleinhuizen, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Irrigation Contractor: Northway Irrigation, Inc. Brian Larson, Vice President Concrete Contractor: Bulach Custom Rock, LLC Jim Turitto, Vice President Electrical Contractor: Choice Electric, Inc. Mark Houser, Project Manager Matt Yaeck, Electrical Foreman Story Stone Engraver: Stone & Steel Design Brian Rosen, President, Owner Jim Wilson Ronald Rosen Jessica Davis Gold Star Table Fabricator: MG McGrath Inc. David Rasmussen, Pre-Construction Manager Luke Kohler, Project Manager Mike Smith, Senior Project Estimator Gold Star Table Electrical Contractor: Cap Electrical, Inc. Brian Wilke Gold Star Table Lighting Supplier: TSR Lighting Rob Chassé Interpretive Signage Fabricator: Advantage Signs & Graphics, Inc. Carissa Velasquez John Foley Photographer: George Heinrich

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