EL DORADO COUNTY VETERANS
Welcome HomeHonors and Assists those veterans who have served the Cause of Freedom.
Welcome Home portrays a joyous return from duty for two El Dorado County members of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is the welcome that every service man or woman looks forward to receiving and should receive upon returning home from duty.
Welcome Home portrays a joyous return from duty for two El Dorado County members of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is the welcome that every service man or woman looks forward to receiving and should receive upon returning home from duty.
Standing is a life-sized bronze male figure dressed in early 2000s fatigues similar to those worn by the U.S. Army, Air Force and Coast Guard. Kneeling is a bronze female figure dressed in fatigues similar to those worn by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Rating and warfare patches are obscured intentionally, so that the figures can represent anyone.
Running joyously toward them is a bronze Labrador retriever, symbolic of the joy that family and friends have over the return of their service man or woman from duty. It also represents the welcome that some service members never got, but which through the statuary will never end. The bronze statuary was conceived by the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance (aka Friends of the Veterans Monument) and designed by famed sculptor of military themes and figures, Rip Caswell.
It is designed to be placed on the lawn to the left of the entrance walkway at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville (above and to the right of the “W” on the map). This site is visited by many thousands each year.
Memorial bricks, stones, benches and plaques at the EDC Veterans Monument identify veterans from the French and Indian Wars to present day. Several of these memorials recognize extraordinary valor in the defense of liberty. However, “Welcome Home” will be the first personification of the veteran experience at the EDC Veterans Monument.
It is estimated that it will cost $200,000 to cast and place the statues. This fundraising effort is led by the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance with support from the El Dorado Community Foundation (both are 501.c3 charitable organizations). For more information about “Welcome Home” and how you can help fund its creation, CLICK HERE.
Calendar
Monday, Nov. 11, 2024
Veteran's Day Ceremony
Monday, May 26, 2025
Memorial Day Ceremony
Programs
- Welcome Home Statuary
- Veterans Day
- Memorial Day
- Salute to Valor
- John Hidahl Memorial Fund
- Nisei Veterans Fund
- Capt. Paul Jacobs Fund
- Josh Tasabia Fund
WELCOME HOME STATUARY
Welcome Home is life-sized bronze statuary that will portray a joyous return from duty for two El Dorado County members of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is the welcome that every service member looks forward to receiving upon returning home from duty.
Standing is a life-sized bronze male figure dressed in early 2000s fatigues similar to those worn by the U.S. Army, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Kneeling is a bronze female figure dressed in fatigues similar to those worn by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Rating and warfare patches are obscured intentionally, so that the figures can represent anyone.
Running joyously toward them is a bronze Labrador retriever, symbolic of the joy that family and friends have over the return of their service man or woman from duty. It also represents the welcome that some service members never got, but which through the statuary will never end.
The statuary was conceived by the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance and was designed by famed sculptor of military themes and figures, Rip Caswell. It is planned to be placed on the lawn to the left of the entrance walkway at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument (“W” on the map key). It will be the first personification of the veteran experience at the EDC Veterans Monument.
To contribute to the effort to fund creation of the statuary, CLICK HERE. All donations are tax deductible.
For more about the statuary, email memorials@eldoradocountyveterans.org.
VETERANS DAY
Each Veterans Day (November 11) at 1100 hrs, ceremonies are held at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville (360 Fair Lane). The ceremonies honor the service of all veterans and include a fly over by WWII Warbirds, color guard ceremony, parade of flags by veterans organizations and youth groups, speeches by public officials, patriotic music, presentation of Veterans of the Year and Veterans Service and Support awards, wreath presentation, a three-volley rifle salute, taps and a piper playing Amazing Grace.
MEMORIAL DAY
Each Memorial Day (last Monday in May) at 1100 hrs, ceremonies are held at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville (360 Fair Lane). The ceremonies honor those who died in the service of their country and include a fly over by WWII Warbirds, color guard ceremony, parade of flags by veterans organizations and youth groups, speeches by public officials, patriotic music, presentation of Veterans Monument Scholarships to children of veterans, wreath presentation, a three-volley rifle salute, taps and a piper playing Amazing Grace.
SALUTE TO VALOR
Each autumn, Snowline Hospice Thrift Stores honor veterans by holding a "True Up" sale in which the difference between the sale price and rounding up to the next dollar is donated to help El Dorado County veterans. Called "Salute to Valor" the sale raises funds to help vets study at local colleges and trade schools, provide chaplaincy services to veterans in law enforcement, and otherwise help veterans in need.
JOHN HIDAHL MEMORIAL FUND
Established in memory of El Dorado County Supervisor, John Hidahl, at the request of his family, to help veterans and their families.
NISEA VETERANS FUND
This fund at Folsom Lake College provides scholarships to veterans and their children in memory of El Dorado County's Nisei Veterans (WWII soldiers of Japanese-American descent).
CAPTAIN PAUL JACOBS FUND
Honoring El Dorado County's Captain Paul Jacobs, USN, who rescued 32,000 Vietnamese sailors and refugees from death and imprisonment in the final moments of the Vietnam War (considered to be the greatest humanitarian event in US Navy history), this fund provides help to members of the crew of Captain Jacobs' ship, USS Kirk (FF 1087), and their families, so that what they did rescuing the defenseless is never forgotten.
JOSH TASABIA FUND
Established to help a visiting law enforcement officer who was grievously injured while trying to rescue mortally wounded El Dorado County Deputy Sheriff Brian Ishmael. This fund will help Josh Tasabia reestablish his life in El Dorado County.