On Tuesday morning, veterans Roy Allmon, Warren Spayth, Mike Baldwin and Steve Pierce stood on a small hill at Two Strike Park and watched the past fall to make way for the future.
The occasion was the demolition of the old wall at the park, the first step in establishing a new memorial for fallen local war heroes...
...Spayth reminisced on a project that began six years ago, one that was started with a family’s wish to honor their son, Nick Steinbacher, by adding his name to the wall.
The existing memorial being demolished. Photo by Mary O'Keefe, Crescenta Valley Weekly |
“...I think when I knew we were going to make it was when we started fundraising with the help of the CV Chamber, CV Town Council and CV Weekly,” Baldwin said. “And all the other groups that [joined].”
The group reached out to several organizations throughout the community including local schools. One of their first supporters was Lt. Col. Dave Worley and his CVHS JROTC cadets. They helped organize the 5K Memorial Run as well as other fundraisers.
Schools got involved as well with the most recent support coming from Rosemont Middle School’s California Junior Scholarship Federation that held a Walk for the Wall a few weeks ago.
“They raised $5,000,” Baldwin said.
Assemblyman Mike Gatto announced a $5,000 gift from Home Depot at the memorial in 2012. |
“[Civic leader] Jean Maluccio has been with us since the beginning,” Spayth said, “[providing] the contacts with the [officials] and the [Los Angeles County] Parks and Recreation.”
“We had so much support from the L.A. County Parks and Rec. Without them we couldn’t do this,” Baldwin said.
Locally, the support grew with Bonners Equipment Rental donating cement, Kiwanis and the Lions clubs donating funds. Fellow veteran Andy Gero and his family donated two flagpoles that will be placed at the wall.
And that is just a few of those in the community who have generously donated funds...
...The veterans are just $5,000 away from their goal, close enough to start the project.
...Construction on the new Two Strike Park Memorial will begin immediately.
For information on the wall or to donate visit www.twostrikememorial.org.
You can read this entire article, and more, at the Crescenta Valley Weekly HERE
Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La CaƱada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood. www.asm.ca.gov/gatto
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