Jack H. Schron, Jr. Cuyahoga County Council District 6 Committee Chair: Economic Development & Planning Committee Member: Education, Environment & Sustainability Committee Member: Health, Human Services & Aging

The Secretary of The Interior Secretary David Bernhardt Washington D.C.

27 August 2020 Dear Secretary Bernhardt It gives me great pleasure to write this letter in support of the National Garden of American Heroes (National Garden). The first reason for my support is because those heroes who came before us are the foundation upon which our country has been built and they are examples for all to follow. The second reason for my writing this letter is to encourage that the location for this vision should· be in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park located here in Northeast Ohio. How proud I will be to walk next to those giants with my grandchildren to talk about these heroes. It will be my obligation to tell them the story about each and everyone of them. For those standing there that I do not know it will be fun to sit down with my grandchildren to do the research on them so we both will learn of that hero. Why the Cuyahoga Valley National Park? Because it is one of the busiest National parks in the country due to its beauty and close proximity to so much of country. Cities like Cleveland, Pittsburg and Detroit would be just a short drive. Reaching just a little further adds Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and so many of our core midwestern cities not to mention all of the rural communities between. As Chairman for Cuyahoga County's Economic Development legislative body the economic impact for our community would be tremendous. Hotels, restaurants and other activities would all spring up to support these heroes as their stories are told from generation to generation. Close to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park sits the summer home of the world renown Cleveland Orchestra. The natural linking of the beauty of their music, history of these heroes and the beauty of this park would provide perfect harmony for our National Garden of American Heroes. We all enjoy seeing th_e sites in Washington, the faces at Mount Rushmore and the views of the Grand Canyon. It would be fitting to place this garden of heroes in the heartland of the country placing the Midwest in same category as these other place in this great country. It is with pride for our country and our region that I support and encourage the creation of the National Garden of American Heroes and that is be placed in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Sincerely, dfi f, Cuyahoga County Council

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