Indy Standard

Gov. Mike Braun has ceremonially signed a new law aimed at supporting the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum in Fort Wayne. The legislation, backed by State Rep. Lori Goss-Reaves, is designed to aid the nonprofit in establishing a columbarium to honor fallen veterans from Indiana.

The board of the museum plans to install a donated columbarium, an aboveground structure for holding cremation urns and personal mementos. However, they faced an unexpected financial challenge due to a state requirement for a $100,000 deposit into a perpetual care fund for maintenance and protection. In response, they sought assistance from lawmakers.

Senate Enrolled Act 520 addresses this issue by waiving the required upfront deposit fee, thereby reducing bureaucratic obstacles for the nonprofit. Instead of paying the fee, funds from the sale of niches in the columbarium will be placed into a dedicated trust to ensure ongoing care and upkeep.

Goss-Reaves, whose father was a U.S. Navy corpsman who died while serving with the Marines in Vietnam, was invited to attend the ceremonial signing by State Rep. Martin Carbaugh due to her support for the legislation. Her book about her father's service is now available at the museum's gift shop.

"Every veteran who has served our nation deserves to be remembered with lasting honor," said Goss-Reaves. "This columbarium will help preserve the legacies of local fallen veterans in a place built to reflect our deepest gratitude and respect."

The three-piece columbarium includes 157 niches exclusively reserved for veterans.

Goss-Reaves noted that the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum spans 40 acres and serves as a tribute to those who have served in America's armed forces. The museum houses over 2,000 artifacts from every U.S. conflict since the Revolutionary War and features recent additions like statues representing soldiers on patrol during the Korean War and an 80-percent-scale replica of Washington D.C.'s Vietnam Memorial Wall.

To learn more about SEA 520 and other laws signed by Gov. Braun, additional information is available online.