TUCSON, Ariz., Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tucson's Pascua Yaqui Tribe will honor its military veterans on Friday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. by dedicating a new Memorial Wall and newly constructed improvements to the Veterans Cemetery located near the tribe's headquarters at 7474 S. Camino De Oeste in Tucson.
The project was made possible by a $320,000 grant from the Veterans Cemetery Grants Service and was a collaborative effort in coordination with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Cemetery Administration. The marble wall will eventually house the names of hundreds of Yaqui veterans who have served in all branches of the U.S military.
"This dedication is very important to the Tribe to allow us to honor those who have served this country and our people," said Peter Yucupicio, chairman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. "Our goal is to set a solid foundation for other tribes throughout the country to obtain grant funding to honor their own."
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe is among the first tribes in the nation to receive such funding and is the first tribe in Arizona to complete the Veterans Cemetery Project. Other improvements made from the grant funding include the expansion of land of the veteran's gravesites area to an additional 320 plots, improvements to the veteran's area of the cemetery, and standard flat granite burial markers.
"The memorial wall will pay respect to our deceased veterans and honor them as warriors who have always fought for our land," said David Ramirez, Pascua Yaqui Tribe councilmember and former tribal chairman. "This memorial will give future generations the opportunity to properly pay their respects and will serve as a reminder of the long history of military service that the Yaqui people share."
During the dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. on Nov. 11 the local military base will provide F-16 jets during a fly over and the Pascua Yaqui color guard will pay their respects with a drum ceremony.
About the Pascua Yaqui Tribe:
Located in southwest metropolitan Tucson, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe is a federally recognized tribe with more than 17,000 enrolled members. The Tribe owns and operates two casinos: Casino of the Sun and Casino Del Sol. Non-gaming enterprises include the Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater (AVA), a 5,000-seat open-air concert venue; and the Del Sol Marketplace, which includes a gas station and car wash, convenience store and smoke shop. It is also the home to Casino Del Sol Resort, Spa and Conference Center; a 215-room, 161,000-square-foot resort and entertainment destination that features more than 65,000-square-feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and convention space. For more information, visit www.pascuayaqui-nsn.gov.
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SOURCE Pascua Yaqui Tribe
