The Southold Town Fire Chiefs council and the Southold Town Volunteer Firefighters memorial committee have recently launched a "Buy a Brick" Campaign to help raise funds to build a local firefighters memorial.

The Southold Town Fire Chiefs Council, with the cooperation of the Town of Southold, is in the process of building a lasting tribute to the Volunteer Firefighters from all of our Southold Town communities who have died in the line of duty.

The Volunteer Firefighter's Memorial will encircle the 9/11 memorial located at Jean Cochran Park on Peconic Lane in Peconic. The existing Memorial is constructed of beams originally used to build the 33rd floor of the World Trade Center, and has the famous "Osprey" wire sculpture created by renowned artist Roberto Julio Bessin, sitting atop the beams.

The Memorial will consist of a sitting wall interspersed with columns identifying each Southold Town Fire Department.

The names of the firefighters who have made the Supreme Sacrifice will be engraved on a plaque affixed to the appropriate column, along with their respective department's information.

The public area between the 9/11 memorial and the sitting wall, "Hero's Plaza", will be finished with brick pavers.

The firefighter's memorial will be an appropriate tribute honoring the citizen volunteers who gave their lives serving their friends and neighbors.

Funds necessary to construct this memorial will be solicited from the general public and area businesses in several ways.

One of the easiest and most meaningful ways for you to contribute is to "BUY-A-BRICK". These bricks will be incorporated into the public area of the memorial. Each 4"x8" brick can be engraved with appropriate information on up to 3 lines utilizing 14 spaces per line. Your Memorial brick can recognize a loved one, personal hero, Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, community leader, favorite cause, or whomever you like.

Each engraved brick can be purchased for a $100 tax deductible donation. There is no limit on how many bricks you can buy and it's a great way to recognize and remember someone or something that is important to you, and have it forever on display in a very public place.

The "BUY-A-BRICK" campaign is the single most important part of our fundraising efforts and we hope to be fortunate enough to count on your support.

There is also an additional fundraising event coming up this summer...

The Southold Town Volunteer Firefighter's Memorial Carnival will take place from August 23 - August 26 at Strawberry Fields on Route 48 in Mattituck. During the carnival you will be able to purchase raffle tickets for a "state of the art" bicycle, as well as for a 50/50 drawing where 50% of the proceeds go to help finance the Firefighter's Memorial and 50% go to the winning ticket holder.

The firefighters from all of our North Fork communities have ALWAYS been there to protect our neighbors' lives and property -- some having given their lives in the process.

We will continue to protect you and we are counting on your support in our efforts to remember those that gave their all.

For further information, please contact your local Fire Department Headquarters or any firefighter, or visit their web site at http://www.southoldtownchiefs.com .

Any and all Donations may be made payable to: FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL, C/O Southold Town Firefighters Memorial, P.O. Box 615, Mattituck N.Y. 11952

Many thanks for your anticipated support.

The Southold Town Volunteer Firefighter's Memorial Committee is a tax deductible 501(c)(3) corporation.

Links to related stories and pictures:
http://www.cutchoguefiredept.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=368