ODI is #VBStrong
For anyone with friends, family, or coworkers in Virginia Beach, the tragic events of May 31st 2019 will forever stand out in our hearts. At ODI’s Virginia Beach branch, we are reminded daily of those who were lost and of the community that pulled together in the aftermath to show the world what #VBStrong really means.
Right after the tragedy, our VA Beach office had special blue ODI #VBStrong Shirts made to show our solidarity with our friends and neighbors, and in particular, with members of the law enforcement community that serves the area so bravely.
As the memory of that tragic day remains on our hearts and minds, today we are excited to share a permanent memorial to those who were lost on May 31st. ODI CEO Jeff Davoud recently had this impressive VABeach Strong plaque installed in our VA Beach branch office.
Created by local artist Jimmy Hintzke, the plaque is imbued with meaning and purpose. Hintzke, owner of Valhalla’s Forge, spent over 30 years serving in the US Navy, and was a SEAL for 26 of those years. Hintzke shares his workshop space with a Gold Star family, and he employs a number of Gold Star boys as well as a number of young men whose fathers are retired SEALs. Suffice it to say, Hintzke’s long history of service to our country made him the right person to create a piece of such importance.
The piece features a number of details that make it especially significant. The chiseled USA flag features a thin blue line to honor our Police officers. The piece also includes actual material from building 2, which Hintzke received from one of the VA Beach Detectives. There is also a fragment of the South Tower of the World Trade Center that was recovered from a memorial build.
To encapsulate these important artifacts, Hintzke drills a hole in the piece and inserts the material, sealing it from the elements with hot glue. Finally, a gun casing donated by active duty SEAL’s, is placed over it to preserve it.
Hintzke’s piece will hang proudly in our VA Beach office, and if you’re in the neighborhood, check it out. In summing up the company’s feelings about Jeff’s acquisition of this piece, our own Beck Dillaha says, “We are so proud to hang our special gift. I get to look at it every day. I made Matt hang it immediately. Please know that we are very honored by your gift.”
This is just another example that our ties with the communities in which we work and live run deep, in good times and in bad. We are proud to be #VBStrong today and always.