PRESS RELEASE 9-11 HEROES MEMORIAL
The Warren Township Committee in cooperation with the Warren Fire Department and Police Department will kick off the official fundraising campaign for the 911 Heroes Memorial Monument . This event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 at 9 am at the Flag Pole on the Grounds of the Municipal Complex. A committee was formed last fall of 2009 with Chief Leffert of the Warren PD, Tim McGowan, Fire Chief, Mark Krane, Twp. Administrator, Gary DiNardo, Deputy Mayor, Ralph Garafola, artist and Carolann Garafola, Warren Twp. Mayor at that time. In addition, Governor Donald DiFrancesco offered to head up the fundraising. The goal is to obtain a portion of the steel from the TwinTowers of the WorldTradeCenter through the New York Port Authority as use the steel beams as part of a monument to remember those who lost their lives. The total number of people who perished in that catastrophic event was: 2819 Total people who died, 343 Fire and EMS, 23 NYPD and 37 Port Authority Police Officers. WarrenTownship recently had confirmation through Port Authority Contact Peter Miller that we are in the approval process to obtain a length of steel.
The plan is to build a base for the monument, lay down a paved walkway, and put in plantings and lighting for the 911 Heroes Monument which will sit on the knoll of the grassy area between the parking lot of the municipal complex and the row of trees that ring the complex. This monument will be dedicated on Sept. 11, 2011, at 9 am on the Ten Year Anniversary of 911. The design was engineered by Ralph Garafola as a donation to the town and will be represented by two pieces of steel as the base, surrounded by black granite and then a large piece of additional I-beam steel will sit on top of the two granite towers. A circular base of cement will be poured to hold the structure, a paved pathway will lead from the parking lot to the monument and it will be surrounded by bushes and flower plantings and benches; and ultimately lit. The granite will be etched with the numbers as listed: 2819 Total who perished, of which 343 were Fire and EMS officials, 23 NYPD and 37 Port Authority Police Officers.
The process to kick off the building of this structure took place when Tim McGowan was notified last fall about the availability of steel for any municipality to erect a monument to memorialize those who were lost in the 911 event. Mayor Garafola brought the committee together to move the process along and Mr. Krane began the paper process to obtain legal access to the steel.
There is already a commitment from the Steamfitters Union in Warren to assist in cutting the steel, DiNardo’s AutoCenter will transport the steel, Ralph Garafola will work with Mark Krane, Chief Leffert and Chief McGown to supervise construction of the monument and Governor DiFrancisco will head up the fundraising. Community Fire Company, a 501©3 Non Profit corporation will handle all donations and will pay all vendors for work. Herb Hefflich, CEO of the Chelsea Assisted Living Facilities has already stepped forward as the first donor and will help to kick off the fundraising. All Committee members will approach various tradesmen for in-kind support and help in building the structure so that no tax dollars will be used to erect this monument.
As was done in the courtroom, any vendor who helps to donate for the building of the 911 Heroes Memorial Monument will be acknowledge on a separate plaque that will be set into a large blue stone along the pathway to the monument. It is expected that the total cost will be approximately $15,000 to $20,000. Anyone who is interested in helping in any way and/or with a donation of money should make a check out to Community Fire Company – 911 Heroes Memorial Monument , Community Place, Warren, NJ j07059; and/or may want to contact: Mark Krane at 908-753-8000 x 250 or Carolann Garafola, Warren Township Committeewoman at 908-647-6538 or 908-922-1973.