Working to remember the fallen

On June 24, Bridge Street Bargains made a donation of $20,150.00 to Never Forget Park. This is just the latest in fundraising for the park as it prepares to begin phase one of construction.

Never Forget Park began in memory of Army Staff Sergeant Tyler Pickett, who was killed in Iraq’s Kirkuk Province in 2008. It has now been expanded to remember and honor the fallen heroes of the U.S. military, law enforcement, and first responders.

Stacy Crimmins, member of the Never Forget Park Committee, said there have been some issues getting construction of the park started. She said some of it has to do with the change of town council members.

“One of the issues is the park is on city property,” Crimmins said. “Every time a new town council gets elected they would come up with ideas and get going. At the end of their term, they either get re-elected or do not run for reelection. It seems like the momentum keeps going backward every two or four years.”

Another issue has been funding. Crimmins said the committee has been applying for funding from public and private organizations to help construct Never Forget Park.

“We have been applying for funding from both federal, state and private organizations,” Crimmins said. “I have also applied for funding from public and private foundations and private donations.”

Criminins said her committee was able to get some small donation grants and received one federal grant.

“We received some small donation grants,” Crimmins said. “We are in the last stages of the Wyoming Land and Water Conservation Fund which is a federal grant and is administered by the Wyoming State Parks.”

Crimmins said the issue of endangered species is another reason for the slow start for the park.

“The grants have requirements on endangered species,” Crimmins said. “I had to get documentation to show that neither [endangered] species in Platte Valley will be [further] endangered by this project. Federal grants have more layers because the state and federal agencies have requirements we must meet before the project can start.”

Crimmins said the cost of materials and inflation yet is another reason for the delay. Inflation can negatively affect grants because, when the grant is paid out over multiple years, the buying power of the funds will decrease as inflation increases.

Along with the change in council members, Crimmins said the Saratoga Town Council has also had some higher priorities over the years.

“It is not necessarily that our town officials are not supportive of the project,” Crimmins said. “They have a philosophy which is recreation should not be the highest priority. I also believe in this philosophy because in my opinion water and sewer are more important than recreation. There has been a lack of state funding and it falls back on the town so I understand why we have these delays. The grants do have a slow process and there are multiple agencies to deal with and sometimes it's hard not to be patient.”

Crimmins said Pickett's mother, Sheri Peterson, did not want the focus just to be on her son but also on other fallen heroes who served in the line of duty. She said the park was named Never Forget Park in honor of the fallen and the living.

“There was some frustration with the amount of time making the memorial for Tyler,” Crimmins said. “Sheri did not want the focus to be on her son anymore but instead the focus should be on all the fallen heroes including everyone who has served in the U.S. military as well as our law enforcement officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line every day. I came up with the name Never Forget Park so we honor not only Tyler but all our veterans, both living and dead.”

Crimmins said this project is important to her because of the sacrifices these heroes have made to make both their country and community safe. She also mentioned a local first responder who will also be honored.

“We had a local EMT by the name of Tyeler Harris who was killed a few years ago,” Crimmins said. “This park is also in honor of him. Those are the people who are making our lives safe and free and we can live our lives because of the sacrifices these heroes have made for us.”

To donate to the Never Forget Park Project, visit their website at https://neverforgetpark.com or email [email protected].