Civista Charitable Foundation Awards $5,000 Grant For LST 325 Visit

The LST 325 military ship will be in Aurora in September as part of the city's bicentennial celebration.

Pictured are left to right back row: Civista Charitable Foundation Board Members E.G. McLaughlin & Bill Ritzman, Aurora Mayor Donnie Hastings, Jr.,  Civista Charitable Foundation Community Relations Coordinator Amanda Corsmeier, Civista Bank Senior VP Regional Market Ex. Mike McLaughlin Pictured are left to right front row: Aurora Riverfront Beautification Committee Secretary Cindy Rottinghaus & Co-Chair Maggie Drury, Civista Aurora Branch Manager Cassie Cappel, Aurora Riverfront Beautification Committee Chair. Charlotte Hastings, AVP Market Leader Bridget Davidson, Civista Charitable Foundation Board Member Jerry Hacker, Aurora City Manager Guinevere Emery and Councilman Terry Hahn. Photo provided.

(Aurora, Ind.) - City of Aurora receives $5,000.00 Grant Award from Civista Charitable Foundation for USS LST 325 Bicentennial Events in Aurora, Indiana  
 
The City of Aurora, Indiana is celebrating its 200th Bicentennial in 2019.  As part of the annual celebration events, the City of Aurora has received a $5,000.00 Grant Award from the Civista Charitable Foundation for the USS LST 325 Bicentennial Events in Aurora, Indiana.  The USS LST 325 is the last remaining fully functioning LST in the country. It served in WWII, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War, in arctic operations and in the 1950’s moved on to be of service in the Greek Navy. In 2000 it was brought back to the United States where it is now docked for 11 months of the year in Evansville, IN.

LST stands for Landing Ship, Tank. This is an amphibious vessel designed to land battle-ready tanks, troops and supplies directly onto enemy shores, which was critical during WWII, Korea and the Vietnam Conflict by assisting with transportation of all military services such as the US Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force and Merchant Marines.  Ships of this type proved to be enormously useful both during times of war and of peace. Today this ship is its own nonprofit, the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. and tours the country to educate its visitors to the role of the LST in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.  

The City of Aurora and the Aurora Riverfront Beautification Committee (ARBC), in conjunction with multiple sponsors, hosted the USS LST 325 in 2012 and have secured the USS LST 325 again for September 13th – 16, 2019.  Events will include daily tours, a flyover of a B-52 Bomber aircraft, display of military vehicles, B & B Riverboats tours with dinner cruise, fireworks display and more.  Sponsorship from the Civista Charitable Foundation will ensure the USS LST 325 community event in Aurora celebrates not only Aurora’s Bicentennial history but our American spirit.  

On behalf of the City of Aurora, Mayor Donnie Hastings Jr. and the Aurora Riverfront Beautification Committee, we thank the Civista Charitable Foundation for their consideration and continued community support. More information regarding the Aurora Bicentennial and USS LST 325 events may be found on the City of Aurora website at www.aurora.in.us.