City to make matching gift to WWII memorial
By Kara Chalmers
The city of Saratoga decided to contribute up to $3,000 for a Washington, D.C., memorial to veterans of World War II at its meeting on June 7.
The memorial will cost $100 million. The federal government has dedicated a strip of land on the National Mall for the memorial. The design shows two arches with reflecting pools to symbolize the paired strengths of power and hope. Senator Bob Dole is the national chairman for the World War II Memorial Fund, a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Va.
A Los Gatos physician, Rudolph Waiton, is regional chairman of the campaign, and he asked Saratoga and Los Gatos to each contribute $25,000.
While Los Gatos opted not to fund the project, Saratoga's City Council voted that it would match any contribution from residents, up to $3,000. The council decided that $25,000 was too much for a city of Saratoga's size and budget.
Checks made out to the World War II Memorial Fund can be sent to the City Manager's office in City Hall at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070. Residents have only until August 6 to send in checks. The city will then write a check matching the total amount collected from residents and send all the checks to the fund.
Councilman Evan Baker, who served in the U.S. Navy, said that he will be the first to make a contribution, and he is sure that Saratoga veterans will, too.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
