Larimer County
Larimer County commissioners approve proclamation joining Operation Green Light for veterans
A county staff member said the county would light the 200 West Oak building and the 200 Peridot building in Loveland. The staff member said lights would also go up on the west side of Blue Arena this year, where they could be seen from the highway.
Larimer County commissioners approved a proclamation joining Operation Green Light for Veterans and encouraging residents to display a green light at their home or business from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
A county staff member said the county would light the 200 West Oak building and the 200 Peridot building in Loveland. The staff member said lights would also go up on the west side of Blue Arena this year, where they could be seen from the highway. The lights would run on timers during the evenings of Nov. 4 through Nov. 11, the staff member said.
The proclamation points to the stress of leaving military service. It says approximately 200,000 service members transition to civilian communities annually. It cites studies indicating that between 44% and 72% of service members experience high levels of stress during the transition from military to civilian life.
The staff member said the county was participating for the fifth time in the nationwide program. The lighting uses LEDs and has minimal cost, with the initial investment made in 2022, the staff member said. Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally described Operation Green Light as a program from the National Association of Counties.
Commissioner Kristin Stephens said the display on the highway would be a reminder to honor veterans and their families, and she supported expanding the program. "It's just such a really nice visible reminder that we honor our veterans during this time," Stephens said. Commissioner John Kefalas said he had a green light on his porch and would join the campaign.
Shadduck-McNally credited the Facilities Department's innovation and hard work with enabling the county to participate. The staff member identified Barb Andrews as the county's Energy Manager and Rowdy Putnam as the staff electrician working on the program. The staff member said Putnam had tested the lights and brought them out by the beginning of October in preparation.
After the vote, Kefalas said he believed 988 was the number for people experiencing a behavioral-health or mental-health crisis.