Shell piece created as tribute to service members
Collier-Lee Honor Flight volunteers and the Sanibel Shellcrafters recently completed a one-of-a-kind handcrafted tribute for National Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Stump.
The piece will be formally presented to him on Oct. 10 during Collier-Lee Honor Flight’s mission to Washington, D.C. — two weeks before the memorial’s dedication and public opening on Oct. 24.
Before its presentation, the tribute will be on display during the month of August at The Community House on Sanibel. For the month of September, it will be on display at the Sanibel Public Library.
The project grew out of a meeting at the annual Honor Flight Summit in Washington, D.C., where Stump spoke about the decade-long effort to establish the memorial. During his presentation, he shared his personal connection to Southwest Florida as a past visitor to Sanibel and an enthusiastic sheller.
What began as a plan to send Stump a small collection of Sanibel shells evolved into a meaningful collaboration. The Shellcrafters and Honor Flight volunteers designed and built a miniature artistic interpretation of the memorial using over 700 individual shells. Each shell represents 1,000 of the approximately 700,000 service members who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
The groups reported that piece reflects the legacy of the Gulf War and creative spirit of the Sanibel community. Presenting it to Stump recognizes his leadership and honors the men and women whose service the national memorial commemorates.
The Community House is at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.
The Sanibel Public Library is at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.