Remembering Our Fallen Tribute Towers to Be Displayed at Bellevue University

The Remembering Our Fallen Tribute Towers photographic war memorial will be on display at Bellevue University’s Military Veteran Services Center (MVSC) from April 30 through May 5. The exhibit will conclude with a public ceremony on Saturday, May 5, at 3 p.m. in which Bellevue University is designated as an official Purple Heart University.

The Remembering Our Fallen exhibit includes 31 Tribute Towers with military and personal photos of almost 5,000 of our nation’s Fallen since 9/11/2001. The exhibit will be accessible for 24-hour viewing and will be watched over by local volunteer members of a special military veteran honor guard.

“We can never forget those who sacrificed everything for our freedom,” said Bellevue University President Mary Hawkins, “and we encourage the public to join us here at the University in viewing the Remembering Our Fallen Tribute Towers.” Bellevue University, which was founded by World War II veteran Bill Brooks, is a founding sponsor of Remembering Our Fallen and one of the first to host the Tribute Towers exhibit.

The exhibit at the University will culminate with a public ceremony on Saturday, May 5, 3 p.m., at the MVSC located at 2108 Harvell Circle in Bellevue. The University will be designated as an official Purple Heart University by the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH). The designation is awarded in recognition of a university’s support of military members, including veterans and their families. Wade Jensen, MVSC Manager, said the Purple Heart University designation recognizes the center’s interactions with both the University and the community. “Service to the military and our veterans is embedded in Bellevue University’s past, present and future,” he said. “We are honored to have the opportunity to serve our military servicemen and women, and their families with resources ranging from transition assistance to an easily accessible Department of Veterans Affairs office.”

The University will also dedicate a new Purple Heart garden on the grounds of the MVSC on May 5. The garden will feature two new local cultivars, or flowers, that are purple in color to honor those veterans who have received the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is a military decoration awarded to those who are wounded or killed during military action. The flowers are strains of prairie flowers that were selectively cultivated by Johnny Farnen, Manager of the Bellevue University science labs. Farnen is also a U.S. Navy veteran. The flowers will be planted at the MVSC by volunteers from the local Wounded Warrior Project chapter and representatives from Bellevue University’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO).

About Bellevue University:

Founded in 1966, Bellevue University is a non-profit, fully accredited university with more than 50,000 graduates worldwide. The University is a recognized national leader in preparing students for lifelong success with career-relevant knowledge and skills, while making college affordable. Routinely ranked among the nation’s top military-friendly and open access institutions, the University serves students at its main campus in Bellevue, Nebraska, and everywhere online. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) through the U.S. Department of Education.

About Patriotic Productions

Patriotic Productions is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization based in Omaha, Nebraska, with a mission of honoring our military. Remembering Our Fallen is the primary focus, however, Patriotic Productions has also taken almost 3,500 veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam on 11 Honor Flights to Washington, D.C., since 2008.