Not Forgotten ...  Honoring All Who Served, Remembering All Who Have Fallen
Not Forgotten: Memorial Day Weekend
Sunday May 27, 2012
Woodward Park, 710 East Woodward Road, Manteca, California

Sponsored by the Place of Refuge Church and the Welcome Home Heroes Foundation
 
"Not Forgotten" has chosen Air Force Senior Airman Mark A. Forester as the image that will be
used on our 11th panel of the Welcome Home Heroes Traveling Tribute.

As a young man of 20 years old, Mark was outraged by the 9/11 attacks and he knew then it was
his calling to fight terrorism. He received his college degree, and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force
in June 2007. Despite everyone telling him to go in as an officer, he wanted to enlist because
he wanted to start from the bottom up and he knew his chances of getting better
deployment opportunities would be increased as an enlisted airman. He wanted the toughest
job the military could offer, and Air Force Combat Controller was what he was looking for.

He was deployed to one of the most coveted areas by Combat Controllers in May 2010, FOB Cobra.
He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for his heroic actions while engaged in ground combat against the enemy on 6 August 2010. Mark was fatally wounded during combat on 29 September 2010 while trying to save a fallen comrade. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for paying the ultimate price for freedom. He was killed in action alongside one of his Special Forces teammates. JAG 28, which was his call sign and the only name many pilots knew him by,
was immediately retired after his death.
Together with the Forester family, we will be dedicating the 11th panel on Sunday May 27, 2012
at Woodward Park.


You can read more about Mark and legacy at www.MarkAForester.com












Gold Star family members Julia Conover, right, and Diana Layfield find Julia’s son Marine Cpl Brandon C. Dewey’s name on the Welcome Home HeroesTraveling Tribute to those who have died serving in the War on Terror.

Photo by Hime Romero (The Manteca Bulletin)

 

 

 

 

 



Our Mission

"Not Forgotten" is an annual event that takes place every Memorial Day Weekend in Manteca, California.  The purpose of the event is to honor all who have served our country in the military, to remember our fallen heroes and their families, to raise awareness in our community and remind our citizens that freedom is not free.

At our Memorial Day Weekend event on May 29, 2011 we had the privilege of hosting over 20,000 people at Woodward Park in Manteca.  Everyone who attended enjoyed an afternoon of various concessions, helicopter landings, military fly-overs, music, patriotic displays, car show, children's play area, military vehicle display, a ceremony honoring all different nationalities who have served in the U.S. military, country music artist Josh Gracin, and a fireworks show. 

The Welcome Home Heroes Foundation was born out of the "Not Forgotten" annual event.  A Traveling Tribute was designed and constructed through the organization to honor all our military men and women who have laid down their lives in service to our country since 9/11.  The memorial is the center piece of the "Not Forgotten" event and stands as a witness to the great sacrifice that almost 6,000 men and women have made in the War on Terror. 

The Welcome Home Heroes Foundation also supports veterans throughout our community.  If you know of a veteran is who is need, please contact our organization.

At our next event on May 27, 2012 we are expecting 20,000 + people to attend "Not Forgotten" at Woodward Park. 




Contact Us & Donations

Welcome Home Heroes Foundation
c/o The Place of Refuge Church
486 Button Ave.
Manteca, CA 95336

Phone: (209) 239-1371
Fax: (209) 239-5072

Email: MDillman@PlaceofRefuge.com

Church Website: www.PlaceofRefuge.com

Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Welcome Home Heroes Foundation in the form of cash, check, or credit card. We do not operate for profit. All of our expense are public record and an expense report is available upon request.




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