• Arts — More than $2 million in art installations at Patriot Plaza provide our region with ways to experience the challenges and sacrifices of military service. In addition, The Patterson Foundation led the development of a program to train Patriot Plaza Guides to give tours in partnership with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.

• Civic Responsibility — Patriot Plaza exists to honor veterans, inspire patriotism, and embrace freedom. It shares stories of service and sacrifice from throughout our nation’s history in ways easily understood by visitors of all ages and backgrounds, whether or not they have a personal connection to the military.

• Education — Students from our region travel to Patriot Plaza throughout the school year for field trips through EdExploreSRQ.com, an online tool tying community experiential learning opportunities with state and national education standards. Suncoast Remake Learning Days, a multi-day learning festival presented by the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, has featured family-friendly educational opportunities at Patriot Plaza annually since 2021.

• Infrastructure — The labor and materials used to construct Patriot Plaza generated more than $3 million in economic impact on our region. The amphitheater has become one of our region’s must-see destinations, providing a place dedicated to ceremonies and events honoring veterans and their families. It is a place for the community to take pride in and use for generations to come.

The Patterson Foundation’s investment in Patriot Plaza honors the Patterson family’s legacy of military service while recognizing the sacrifice of all veterans and their families. Patriot Plaza aspires to strengthen how our region pays tribute to those who served.

In the early days of Patriot Plaza’s development, The Patterson Foundation’s leadership identified several salient historical markers connecting the Patterson family tree with the early beginnings of the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration initiated by President Abraham Lincoln:

1855 – Joseph Medill buys into the Chicago Tribune, helps create the Republican Party, and is influential in Abraham Lincoln's election to president in 1860.

1862 – Congress authorizes President Lincoln to purchase grounds for a national cemetery, establishing the beginning of the national cemetery system as we know it today.

1914 – Medill's grandsons, Col. Robert McCormick and Capt. Joseph Medill Patterson serve in the U.S. armed forces during World War I.

1944 – Medill's great grandson James J. Patterson graduates from West Point and achieves rank of Captain in the U.S. Army.

1946 – Medill's grandson Capt. Joseph Medill Patterson is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

1997 – Five years after James J. Patterson's death, his widow, Dorothy Clarke Patterson, creates The Patterson Foundation.

The Patterson Foundation worked closely with National Cemetery Administration officials to help Patriot Plaza become a reality. This engagement was the first time a private foundation partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to work on an enhancement of this complexity at a national cemetery. The collaboration serves as a model for communities with national cemeteries interested in exploring how they can develop their own partnerships with the National Cemetery Administration.

Milestones included:
2008 – Groundbreaking and dedication of Sarasota National Cemetery.

2010 – The Patterson Foundation launches its vision, including a multi-million-dollar partnership to construct Patriot Plaza, an amphitheater at Sarasota National Cemetery.

2012 – Patriot Plaza groundbreaking at Sarasota National Cemetery.

2014 – Patriot Plaza’s unveiling and dedication at Sarasota National Cemetery.

2024 – Patriot Plaza's 10th Anniversary Celebration.

Legacy of Valor — Beginning in 2013, through 100 Legacy of Valor partnerships lasting 13 months, our caring community rallied around the more than 100,000 veterans and their families who live and work in Southwest Florida. The community movement was built through the “Freedom. Pass It On.” campaign featuring local veterans. This enthusiasm lives on at Patriot Plaza as our community uses the space to honor veterans and their stories for generations to come.

Veterans Legacy Summit — After The Patterson Foundation presented Patriot Plaza to our local community in the summer of 2014, it shared this unique public-private partnership with leaders from across the country in November 2014 during the Veterans Legacy Summit. Leaders from the government, military, philanthropy, national veterans-serving organizations, and others supporting veterans came together to share ideas, learn about unique partnerships such as Patriot Plaza, challenge assumptions, and push the boundaries of potential to honor our nation’s heroes.

All is Calm: In Concert at Patriot Plaza — The Patterson Foundation and Asolo Repertory Theatre collaborated to present All is Calm: In Concert at Patriot Plaza, a moving experience blending artistry and history to share powerful reminders of peace, compassion, and humanity in the spirit of the holiday season.

This one-of-a-kind, family-friendly program featured highlights from Asolo Repertory Theatre’s acclaimed production of All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Additional community performers honored the service and sacrifice of our veterans and military families, creating opportunities for more than 2,300 guests of all ages to unite through remembrance and reflection in this sacred setting.

This concert was free to attend through support from The Patterson Foundation.

For inquiries, contact initiative consultant Victoria Finley: VFinleyTPF@gmail.com

• On-site private group
• On-site educational tours for school-aged children
• Off-site traveling tour for those groups who cannot physically visit Patriot Plaza

• Testimonies by Larry Kirkland (Photojournalism)
• Witness to Mission by Larry Kirkland and Kenny Irby (Photojournalism)
• Home by Ann Hirsch (Bronze)
• Guardian Eagles by Pablo Eduardo (Bronze)
• Night to Day, Here and Away by Ellen Driscoll (Mosaic)
• Star Map fabricated by Creative Edge Master Shop (Granite)

• Community Foundation of Sarasota County received MORALE
• Goodwill Manasota–Veterans Services Center received INTEGRITY
• Empath Tidewell Hospice received SUPPORT
• Empath Tidewell Foundation received LEGACY
• Ringling College of Art and Design received RESILIENCE
• Sarasota Military Academy received COURAGE
• University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee received SACRIFICE

• Debra Jacobs, The Patterson Foundation – President and CEO
• Sandy Beckley, The Patterson Foundation – Initiative Consultant
• Art Bryant, Development Logistics Group – Owner’s Representative
• Gary Hoyt, Hoyt Architects – Design Architect
• Ann Wykell, Social Sector Solutions – Art Consultant
• David E. Sessions, Willis Smith Construction – Construction Manager

• Construction Advisory Group of industry experts
  • Billy Springer
  • Cliff Truitt
  • John Peshkin
  • Shawn McIntyre
    
    
• Art Advisory Group of industry experts
  • Kenny Irby
  • Robin Nigh
  • Mark Ormond