The Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza has long served as a place of inspiration and reflection, honoring the 916 fallen heroes from Nevada who gave their lives for our freedom. I’m excited to announce a meaningful addition to this sacred space: the Generational Bench, designed and installed by Priyasha Landry.

Priyasha, a recent high school graduate, has been actively contributing to her community for years. For the last year she has been working on a generational bench at the Sparks Marina that complements the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza (NVMP) entitled: Share, Remember, Inspire: Your Story Matters. In her words, “This project creates a space for families to gather and provides a supportive environment for veterans to share their stories. It aims to preserve the stories of veterans that might otherwise be lost over time—stories filled with historical insights, personal sacrifices, and lessons that deserve to be shared and remembered.”

The goal of this bench is to create a bridge between veterans and the next generation. By encouraging the sharing of these valuable stories, we not only acknowledge the emotional weight carried by many veterans but also ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Some stories have already been recorded and can be found at NVMP.US. The team behind the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza hopes this new bench, along with the rest of the memorial, will honor the past, present, and future. I encourage you to visit the memorial with your family, take a seat on the bench, and share your own stories of service to this great nation—helping to build a legacy that will live on for years to come.

A special thank you to Randy Dorman and his team at Design, Tile & Stone, the Sparks Rotary Club and Priyasha Landry for the donation of time, finances, and creativity to see this wonderful addition to the memorial.

As a reminder the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza is a non-profit entity that is comprised of volunteers. Though it sits on city property it is completely built and maintained by donations of time and finances. It is separately managed and operated from city funds or staff.