Photos courtesy of Colette Skeff Five military monuments were placed at Faith Hinkley Veteran’s Memorial Park in Monte Vista on Nov. 2. City staff and Valley Monument Company did the project that was partially funded by a Daughters of the American Revolution grant of $10,000.

MONTE VISTA — Valley Monument Company, including owner John Glass and employee Matt Jacquez, placed five solid black granite military monuments — US Army, US Marines, US Air Force, US Navy and US Coast Guard — in The Faith Hinkley Memorial Park on Nov. 2. 

Monte Vista City Public Works Director Rob Vance, alongside his staff, including Supervisor Bob Abeyta, Andrew Valenzuela, Tony Felix, Thom Torrez, and Mike Ross, installed foundations the day before, in preparation for the monuments to be placed.

The monuments were purchased as part of a project called the Five Veterans Monument Project. This project was made possible by donations, and a grant of $10,000 that was awarded through the National Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

The DAR grant was obtained by Colette Skeff, a member of the Arizona Buckeye Valley DAR Chapter, through the Monte Vista Community Fund.

“We are so honored and proud to announce the completion of the project, which we undertook in 2019,” Skeff said. “It was an important project, and our goal was to help in the success to complete the park.”

The DAR grant program began in 2010. Funding through this grant is given to support projects in local communities that promote the organization’s mission of historic preservation, education, and patriotism.

As part of the project, the City of Monte Vista’s Victor Samora retired all the old flags in the park and replaced them with new flags.

The flagpoles that were placed were purchased through donations made by the Skeffs; US Army, David and Annavee Hinkley; US Marines, Ron and Carol Martinez; US Coast Guard, Metz Potato Company; POW/MIA, C & J Foundation; and the US Air Force through various donations to the MVCF.

Donations are still needed to complete other areas in the park — placement of pavers, concrete for a stage area, and in the pathway, and a sign for the entrance to the park. Contact Colette Skeff at 719-852-3435, for donation information.