Marco Island American Legion Post 404 and Post member Commissioner Rick LoCastro invite the media to attend a $600,000 check presentation to Post 404 from Mr. Rene Champagne for the construction and installation of a Vietnam Veterans sculpture in Veterans Community Park.
The check presentation will occur on Monday, August 26, at 4 p.m. at the First Horizons Bank, 605 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island.
Two or more County Commissioners may attend the event.
Background from Post 404:
Major Donation Made to the Marco Island Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Marco Island’s American Legion Post 404 is pleased to announce the receipt of a pledge of $600,000 for the construction and installation of the Vietnam Veterans sculpture in the Veterans Community Park. When learning of the Post’s fundraising campaign, long-time Marco Island philanthropist Rene Champagne met with Post Commander Lee Rubenstein and offered funds sufficient to pay for the creation of the sculpture and its shipping and installation. Additional funds are still being sought for landscaping and hardscaping.
Rene Champagne is a Navy and Vietnam Veteran who served two deployments to the Vietnam warzone waters. Following his service in the Navy, he had a successful career in industry, culminating in his position as the Chairman & CEO at ITT Educational Services, Inc. Since his retirement to Marco Island, he and his wife, Tish, have been active in the community. Rene serves as the Vice Chair of Marco Island Academy’s Board of Directors, and he and Tish have contributed generously to its building programs.
The Vietnam Veterans sculpture will be the largest sculpture to honor Vietnam Veterans in the nation. It will consist of six larger-than-life soldiers representing a diverse force of men and women and military specialties, including a dog handler and his service dog. The bronze sculpture will be created in the same lifelike quality as the Three Servicemen Statue on the Washington Mall. It will sit on a 2’ high, 29’ diameter lighted concrete base with landscaping representing the jungle. The sculpture will take 15 months to create. The sculpture’s dedication is planned for March 29, 2026, National Vietnam Veterans Day.
Questions can be addressed to Commander Lee Rubenstein of American Legion Post 404 at (239) 564-9894 or via email at Marcoump@aol.com.
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