SARASOTA, Fla. (PRWEB) September 15, 2014
The Patterson Foundation will host leaders from across the nation during the Veterans Legacy Summit, a multi-day conference designed to build cross-sector connections benefitting the nation’s veterans and military families. The conference will take place Nov. 14-15 in Sarasota, Fla.
Leaders from government, military, philanthropy and national veterans-serving organizations will have the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences as they discuss innovative approaches to meet the needs of current and former service members and their families.
“Serving the one percent who do so much to protect 99 percent of Americans is a cause that many different groups and individuals have embraced, particularly at a time when many of our service members are returning to civilian life,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “This is a unique opportunity to unite representatives of these diverse sectors under the same roof, giving them a platform to push boundaries and challenge assumptions to support our nation’s heroes.”
The conference, which features appearances from New York Times best-selling author Wes Moore, award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, Forever Miss Americas, the West Point Band and more, will open Friday, Nov. 14, with an art symposium bringing together acclaimed artists and photojournalists who will share stories behind the commissioned artwork at Patriot Plaza, the new 2,800-seat ceremonial amphitheater at Sarasota National Cemetery. The $12-million project, which was fully funded and designed by The Patterson Foundation, is the first time the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – National Cemetery Administration has partnered with a private foundation to work on an enhancement of this magnitude for a national cemetery.
In addition to the symposium, attendees will view a collection of movies illustrating the experiences of veterans and their loved ones during a bayfront film festival featuring “The War Comes Home,” a documentary by Soledad O’Brien. The evening will conclude with a panel discussion on veterans’ issues featuring O’Brien and U.S. Army combat veteran Wes Moore.
On Saturday, Nov. 15, events kick off with a series of workshops where attendees can collaborate and examine veterans’ issues and services. After these sessions, summit participants will visit the Legacy Zone, an exhibition of national veterans-serving organizations from around the country that connect veterans and military families with the support and resources they need to carry out their missions at home and abroad.
The conference will culminate with a celebration at Patriot Plaza featuring a keynote address by Wes Moore, performances by the West Point Band and appearances by Forever Miss Americas. Guests will learn about the unique partnership model behind Patriot Plaza during the ceremony, which also aspires to highlight the burial services offered by the National Cemetery Administration to eligible veterans and family members. Currently, only 12 percent of those eligible for interment are buried at the nation’s 131 national cemeteries.
The Veterans Legacy Summit is free to attend but registration is required. Please visit http://www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/veteranslegacysummit to register and view a complete summit schedule. Follow the summit on social media using #VeteransLegacy and @ThePattersonFdn.
About The Patterson Foundation
The Patterson Foundation works with partners to accelerate positive change by sharing fresh perspectives on strategy, contributing new ideas, and providing resources. We believe we’re stronger together – that the act of creative collaboration produces results and knowledge that can be applied more broadly to transcend any single act of philanthropy. For more information, please visit http://www.thepattersonfoundation.org.
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