The Pikes Peak Honor Bell tolled through Southern Ute Veterans Park on Sunday, Aug. 2 for a total of 49 times, symbolizing respect, remembrance, and a final farewell to departed heroes. The Honor Bell Ceremony, hosted by the Southern Ute Veterans Association, welcomed local veterans and their families, Tribal membership, and surrounding community for a historic moment. The Pikes Peak Honor Bell and team made their first visit to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, paying homage to the legacy of Native American veteran warriors.
The Pikes Peak Honor bell is the second bell forged for the Honor Bell Foundation (nonprofit), and this bell was created to specifically serve the Pikes Peak region and Southern Colo. The bronze bell measures 37 inches in diameter, 40 inches in height, and weighs 1,000 pounds. The bell holds sacred artifacts forged inside – during its casting, physical artifacts from twelve deceased U.S. service members were melted directly into the molten bronze.
The Honor Bell Ceremony, hosted by the Honor Bell Foundation and the Southern Ute Veterans Association, brought local veterans together making for a special and heartfelt event. Marlena Valdez sang the National Anthem, an honor song for veterans was provided by Dewayne Richards, followed by the 24-note bugle call known as “Taps”. The ceremony ran smoothly, timely, and successfully providing a unique experience for veterans and their families.
Following the Honor Bell Ceremony that was held in Southern Ute Veterans Park on Sunday, Aug. 2, there is now conversation in regard to forging a third bell in honor of Ute veterans. In an interview with the Southern Ute Drum, former commander of the Southern Ute Veterans Association Howard Richards Sr. shared his excitement of the forging of a third bell.
“I look forward to having a discussion about a third bell being forged in honor of our Ute veterans. I hope that our Tribal member veterans will contribute their sacred items to our bell as well as Native veterans from our community,” Richards Sr. said. “Larry Peterson is the person who started this since bell one and he has been talking about creating bell three to include the Tribal community – we are going to be asking family members [of Ute and Native American veterans] to donate items to the creation of the bell. All the artifacts, whether it be bronze stars to heirlooms, will be melted together.”
“It was a huge honor for the Pikes Peak Honor Bell to be here in Ignacio. I felt that this was a historic moment, not only for the bell in regards to its first trip to a reservation but also to have it here on the Southern Ute Reservation to pay homage to our Tribal member veterans and all veterans in this community – next year I hope to have the Honor Bell Foundation return and I hope to see the event continue to grow. I would like to have students from the Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy and the Ignacio School District; have all surrounding districts attend because it is important we share the importance of remembering our veterans and honoring them in a good way.”
James Ramirez is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1075 – according to their website, the organization serves to promote and support the full range of issues important to all veterans, create a new identity for the generation of veterans, and change the public perception of Vietnam veterans in a positive manner.
In a follow up conversation with Howard Richards Sr., Ramirez shared “Having the Pikes Peak Honor Bell team visit the Ignacio highlights the deep connection between regional veterans and the Southern Ute tribal community. Native American veterans have served our nation at exceptionally high rates, and bringing the Honor Bell to the [Southern Ute Reservation] pays homage to that legacy of warrior service,” Vice President, Ramirez said. “The Honor Bell isn’t just a bronze instrument; it is a mobile sanctuary of respect. Whether at Pikes Peak National Cemetery or right here in Ignacio, it brings veterans and families together in unified remembrance.”
This is a continuing story, for more information please contact Southern Ute Elder and Southern Ute Veterans Association member Howard Richards Sr. at (970) 442-0572.