Echoes of Valor — Honoring Veterans Through Art and Community

The Echoes of Valor luncheon provided an opportunity to bring together around 100 friends and partners of The Patterson Foundation to lunch, chat, laugh–and, yes, maybe shed a tear or two. 

Patriot Plaza, nestled in the heart of the Sarasota National Cemetery, houses a magnificent collection of American military photojournalism pieces in its Testimonies exhibit. Over the years, the Testimonies collection began to weather, so The Patterson Foundation, as its culture is, found a way to preserve and share the images that were to be replaced.

Because of their commitment to either honoring veterans or providing veteran support, the following agencies accepted The Patterson Foundation’s offer and gifting of a refurbished Testimonies photograph, installed in a beautiful display case: 

• Community Foundation of Sarasota County
• Goodwill Manasota
• Empath Health – Tidewell Hospice and Tidewell Foundation
• Sarasota Military Academy
• Ringling College of Art & Design
• University of South Florida, Sarasota–Manatee

The gifted tablet names are Courage, Integrity, Legacy, Morale, Resilience, Sacrifice, and Support. Each tablet speaks to its name—in its photograph, illustration, and words—tying the imagery together.

Maybe some of you remember The Patterson Foundation’s Legacy of Valor campaign during the Plaza’s construction. The campaign built awareness and interest in the soon-coming Patriot Plaza. In so doing, new partnerships were forged amongst individuals and agencies, all the while introducing and sharing Patriot Plaza’s purpose: HONORING veterans – INSPIRING patriotism – EMBRACING freedom.

Sounds a lot like Echoes of Valor, with the sharing of Patriot Plaza artwork across our community. Enjoy hearing those echoes in the video produced for this celebration.