Picts4

R.I.N.G. RETIREES LIVING MEMORIAL
DEDICATED OCTOBER 25, 2009
Pictures by members of the R.I.N.G. Retirees Association Memorial Committee

Late morning on the 25th: Committe members and some biker volunteers have set up the chairs, ropes and plywood ramps to the monument. Other committee members work on stuffing program changes into the program and organizing promotional material.

Noontime: RINGRA President Russ Adams talks with Lt. Gen. (Ret) Centracchio and Paul Vona (left photo) while others wander the memorial site looking for "their" bricks as well as reading the other bricks.

5/8/08 to 5/23/09

9/29/09 to 10/22/09

Early visitors: Lots of folks, mostly couples, showed up early to find and photograph the engraved bricks.

BIKERS — Bless them: Supporters from the Warrior Brotherhood MC Club, Ocean State Chapter of the Harley Owners Group and the Combat Veterans MC Club show up in force. Many of them participated in a motorcycle run in June of '09 to raise funds for the Memorial.

MILITIAS: The origins of the National Guard lie in the militias formed by the colonies in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Represented at the Dedication were members of the Kentish Guards, the Pawtuxet Rangers and the Varnum Continentals.

WE BEGIN: Ceremonies begin shortly after 1:00 p.m., and everybody gets seated and organized for the start.

Colors are posted: The R.I.N.G. Honor Guard (left) posts the colors, highlighting the changes in uniforms, weapons and Drill and Ceremonies customs over the last 380 years.

Off and running: The "Official Party" comes to attention for the playing of the National Anthem.

Speakers and those asked to make remarks were (FROM RIGHT TO LEFT)

U.S. Congessman Langevin,

Gov. Carcieri,

Lt. Gov. Roberts,

Adjutant General Bray,

Brig. Gen. Dzialo (Air Guard) and

Lt. Gen (Ret.) Reginald Centracchio, who is also the Honorary Chair of the Memorial Committee for the R.I.N.G. Retirees Association.

Chaplain Capt. Kip Averett (RIANG) gives the Invocation.

A Great Day! The audience swelled to over 400 (based on the number of programs having been passed out) by the time the speeches and remarks were being made.

Unveiling: Members of the Memorial Committee unveil the engraving on the granite slabs and statue pedestal (left). Recognition is given (right) to Tom Rezendes for coordinating all the construction activities needed to complete the Monument, to Jack Afonso of Riverside Stone for the engineering work and installation of the granite, and to the R.I. Nursery and Landscaping Association for the installation of the trees, bushes and grass sod that made the monument look like it had been there for years.

Ceremonies over: Varnum Continental volunteer Capt. Mike Phillips (above) agreed to pose for the as-yet-unfunded replica of the Concord Minuteman that will be put on the pedestal.

After Action Report: Many folks stayed afterwards to see and photograph the inscriptions on the granite that had been covered during most of the proceedings.
Notable people in the photo include Lt. Gen (Ret.) Centracchio in conversation with CSM (Ret.) Bill O'Mara (lower right corner).
CMSgt (Ret.) Paul Vona, in the left foreground, was the originator of the basic concept for the memorial.
Jack Afonso of Riverside Stone (in sunglasses, center) is talking to Ginny Urquhart (wife of Bob Urquhart, Memorial Committee chair) and Joyce Adams (wife of Russel Adams, president of the R.I.N.G. Retirees Association).

5/8/08 to 5/23/09

5/24/09 to 9/26/09

9/29/09 to 10/22/09

10/26/09 to 1/19/11

3/8/11 to 8/28/11

9/9/12 and the

Dedication, 9/16/2012

5/24/09 to 9/26/09