The Auburn Hills Community Foundation (ACHF) and the City of Auburn Hills are launching a campaign to raise funds to aid with the construction of a new Veteran’s Memorial. A current World War II Memorial exists at the intersection of N. Squirrel Road and Auburn Road and will be replaced by a more comprehensive memorial that will honor all branches of the armed services. The plan is to raise funds in 2020 and early 2021 and then complete the design and construction by fall of 2021.

The original memorial plaque was erected by the Moms of America at a former Fire Hall site in the area of the memorial’s existing location and includes the names of 295 Veterans from our community who served in our armed services during World War II. Moms of America was an organization of mothers of service men and women. The main objective of the group was to support men and women of the armed services who were in hospitals. Every Memorial Day, including this year, since the memorial plaque was erected, a service has been held at the site.

The new memorial will be constructed at the City’s Aaron Webster Cemetery, located at 150 S. Squirrel Road. It is intended that the new memorial will distinguish the 295 Veterans from our community who served in the armed forces during World War II, but will be expanded to also recognize all Veterans who have died in active service, and those Veterans interred in the cemetery. This change will provide the opportunity to honor not only our World War II Veterans from the community, but also other Veterans who have died in the line of duty, and other Veterans buried in the cemetery.

With the above I am writing to ask that you consider a donation to the Auburn Hills Community Foundation in support of this community endeavor. Join me in this effort as I pledge to donate the first $1,000 to our Veteran’s Memorial alongside my wife, Claire Knight. Additionally, Claire and I will match at 10% any contribution by individuals or families up to $10,000 by March 31, 2021. A copy of donor levels from which you may select is attached hereto. We thank you for your consideration and look forward to your participation.

If you have any questions regarding this project, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Aaron Stahly, Deputy Public Works Director and Iraq War Veteran at (248) 364-6933 or astahly@auburnhills.org

On behalf of the Veteran’s Memorial Committee,

Very truly yours,

Henry V. Knight,

City Council Member, Korean War Veteran