White Oak Construction Breaks Ground on Memorial

Salem City Councilor Brad Nanke, Lt. Cari Boyd, Dan Wellert, Gene Bolanta, Will Horsey, Peter Shanks

June 17, 2016 –  Flag Day, June 14, 2016, was celebrated with the groundbreaking for the long awaited Oregon State Police Fallen Trooper Memorial. The memorial is located in front of the Public Service Building on the Capitol Mall. The groundbreaking was organized by White Oak Construction, the company chosen to construct the memorial.

Oregon State Police (OSP) Lt. Cari Boyd, leads the organization which has raised over $235,000 for the project.

Dan Wellert, White Oak Construction
Dan Wellert, White Oak Construction

The memorial will recognize 33 troopers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the citizens of Oregon.

“This is the most in-the-line-of-duty deaths of any law enforcement agency in the state of Oregon,” Boyd said. She was pleased that millions of people will be able to honor these troopers at the memorial when they visit the State Capitol.

City Councilor Brad Nanke represented the City of Salem at the event. “I am proud to have this memorial in Salem,” he said.

Dan Wellert, project manager at White Oak Construction said his company is fully committed to the project. He added, “From the citizen’s perspective, it is so important to acknowledge what our police officers do for us and to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Gene Bolante, lead architect at Studio 3 Architecture, shared artist renderings of the project. The memorial will feature a black basalt wall with the names of fallen troopers. In the center will be a map of Oregon with stars showing where each death occurred. An unfinished column will be placed in the middle to symbolize troopers who will never be able to finish their job. “We are so proud to be a part of this,” he added.

The OSP Fallen Trooper Memorial is scheduled to be completed in October.  A groundbreaking video can be seen below:

Donations are still being accepted here. A Fallen Trooper Memorial Run will be held July 9, 2016, at Champoeg State Park. Sign up here.

White Oak Construction: Mark Fox/Dan Wellert 503-588-3081 markfox@whiteoakconstruction.net/danwellert@whiteoakconstruction.net