“There’s so much history between the
memorial and golf, especially at the
Omni Homestead. Just look at some
of the visitors they’ve had, including
President Roosevelt. It’s a fun way
to tie the two together and is a great
way to raise awareness for the D-Day
Memorial Foundation and its veterans,
while having fun.”
Monuments surround the
National D-Day Memorial,
serving as a reminder for all
those who fought.
These were ordinary people rising to
extraordinary events, allowing us to enjoy the
freedoms we have today. It is crucial that their
story not be forgotten, and it is the primary
mission of the National D-Day Memorial
to preserve their legacy and the lesson of
D-Day for future generations. Education
is key. Since the Memorial does not receive
federal funding, it is maintained and operated
30
solely on admission fees and
contributions.
“We want to pay tribute to
those who made the ultimate
sacrifice for our freedom,” said
Cheek-Messier. “It is extremely
important that as American
citizens we acknowledge the
men and women who cherished
peace enough to give their lives
to protect it. We owe them a
great debt and we must never
forget it.”
The hope is to raise the
necessary funds to help the
Memorial continue to thrive through the
National D-Day Memorial Golf Classic.
TAKING THE HISTORY TO THE GREENS
Gordon Eubank serves on the Memorial’s
Board of Directors. After golfing with several
D-Day veterans he decided this was an
appropriate time to introduce a new event to
help raise funds for the Memorial.
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“I developed a passion for WWII veterans
and the National D-Day Memorial since my
father was a Prisoner of War during the war,”
said Gordon.
Gordon reached out to Don Ryder,
Director of Golf for the Omni Homestead,
and invited him to visit the Memorial.
Ryder, along with his wife, made the trip last
Veterans Day. There he witnessed firsthand
the impact the Memorial has on so many, and
the importance of its mission.
“That was a special day,” said Ryder, whose
father fought in World War II. “After being
there in person with my wife, whose father
also fought in World War II, it was just very
inspiring.
“It was hard to not want to get involved
after all of that.”
Don was also a close, personal friend of
Sam Snead, who not only launched his career
at the Homestead, but also served in the U.S.
Navy during World War II from 1942 to
1944. With the personal connection and the
recognition of the importance in celebrating
the Memorial and its veterans, Ryder wanted
to be involved. He offered up the Cascades
Course at the Omni Homestead as a