Women’s Club Holds Fundraiser to Light Up Monument

Gene Glasco sitting in front of the Arcadia Vietnam War Monument. – Courtesy photo / Gene Glasco

Gene Glasco, community leader, is working with the Women’s Club to improve the Arcadia Veteran’s Memorial

By Monica Sanchez

This Saturday, November 4, the Arcadia Women’s Club is hosting a fundraising dinner and musical military tribute in the historic clubhouse to help raise needed funds for the installation of lighting to illuminate the Arcadia Vietnam War Monument.

The Arcadia veterans’ monument was dedicated on May 28, 2016 in tribute to the fourteen Arcadia servicemen who lost their lives in Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. However, it honors all veterans who have served our country.  Gene Glasco, Navy veteran, city clerk, 2017-2018 Citizen of the Year and Founder of the monument, is looking to install six low energy LED lights that will be permanently placed into the cement base surrounding the Monument.

“I would really like to illuminate the monument for nighttime purposes,” said Glasco, “We have had shopping carts sitting there, smoking and drinking near the monument…I think it’s going to deter vandalism and vagrancy.” The lights will come on at dusk and go off at dawn, warding off crime nearby and honoring fallen heroes in an attractive glow. Excited about the project, Glasco said that “On Veterans Day, Memorial Day and other observances, we’ll be able to adjust the lighting to bathe the Monument in patriotic red, white and blue colors, which will really be spectacular.”

Fundraising is needed for installation of the lights due to the expense of the bulbs themselves and the construction work required. Each bulb costs $2,000, but they’re “meant to last a couple of decades,” according to Glasco.  Glasco was quoted $19,000 for the installation overall. Because of the tricky nature of the electrical installation, Glasco predicts that the lighting will most likely be finished in mid-January 2018. Along with the Arcadia Women’s Club, Glasco plans to have a countdown ceremony for the unveiling of the lights in January at dusk.

So far, there have been 70 confirmed reservations for the fundraiser, but more are needed to meet the goal for the cost of lighting installation. If interested in attending the fundraiser, the social hour and silent auction for the fundraising dinner begins at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. followed by musical entertainment. There will be drawings for gift baskets throughout the evening. Dinner costs $50, and it includes a beverage and dessert. Since this is a fundraiser, the cost of the dinner is fully tax deductible.

Please make checks payable to: Arcadia Woman’s Club and send to Joyce Platt, 2607 El Capitan Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006. Joyce can be contacted at: (626) 574-1303 or contact Cheryl Alberg at: (626) 287-2831.

If you would like more information about this topic, please email him at gene@arcadiavietnammonument.org.

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