AUBURN - The sound of metal trowels grinding against stone filled the Veterans Memorial Park in Auburn Wednesday morning as a class of masonry apprentices volunteered to repair the original monument built in the 1950s.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Jeremy Young, of Gouverneur, with his fellow masonry apprentices, volunteers time to chisel out and replace old mortar in the Veterans Memorial Park in Auburn on Wednesday afternoon.
Jeremy Young, of Gouverneur, with his fellow masonry apprentices, volunteers time to chisel out and replace old mortar in the Veterans Memorial Park in Auburn on Wednesday afternoon.
The 14 students and two teachers had come from their school in Liverpool to gain field experience while helping a good cause, said Doug Ward, a Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local Union No. 2 member who helped bring the students down to the park.
“I thought it could be a good training session for the young apprentices,” Ward said. “It would be a great chance to get out and get some hands-on experience.”
Ward said John Barwinczok of the Korean War Veterans Association had mentioned he needed volunteers to do work on the park located on Genesee Street because there wasn't enough money to hire contractors.
The park has been undergoing reconstruction since the spring of 2007 when the city gave the Korean War Veterans Association permission to begin construction. The association's plans called for the creation of a memorial walkway and a central flag poll with a dedication to each branch of the United States Military in addition to the war memorials that have already been built.
Barwinczok had originally hoped to have the park finished this fall but said a shortage of funds had caused several delays which may push completion back until late 2009.
“Overall donations have been lower than expected,” Barwinczok said. “We've gotten a lot of volunteer services, which is why we have gone as far as we have gotten today.”
With a total estimated budget of more than $280,000, nearly $50,000 had already been donated, but that does not include volunteered material and labor, Barwinczok said.
Some of the donations have come from Four Seasons Memorial, KC Masonry, the American Legion in Union Springs and Callahan Masonry Supply, as well as art students from the Auburn High School who designed the archway entrance at the front of the park.
Plans are also being orchestrated to have students from East Middle School in Auburn research five battles from each war that will be placed on the memorial stones lining the main walkway.
“We got to get the youth involved because they are our future,” Barwinczok said. “If they have a hand in the memorial then they will respect it. We want a good relationship with the new generation coming up.”
Masonry student Rich Brinkleow is proud of the work he did for the park.
“It's nice to be doing this for the veterans,” Brinkleow said. “And it's cool that when you are done, if you ever come back out here you know you played a part in this (park).”
Gary Nickerson, a masonry instructor, said the work the students were doing on the park was the perfect real world application that would give the students a lasting legacy.
“This is a great experience for all of these guys who came down here to do all this work while enjoying some fresh air and sunshine,” Nickerson said. “This really gives the students a chance to see their finished product. This (monument) will last as long as the park wants it.”
At their school the students often tear down their projects after they build them so they can save the material to build something new, Nickerson said.
“It's a neat thing to watch something come together like this that will be here for a while,” said student Anthony Watkins as he pushed mortar in between two stone slabs. “This monument has been around a while and we are going to try and keep it that way.”
While the park's original monument was built in memory of the Korean War, the new park will have monuments for all the veterans who have served the United States.
“This park is for all the veterans because they all made sacrifices,” Barwinczok said. “I don't want people to think it's just for one group.”
The park will have monuments ranging from the American Revolution to the current conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Families have also been purchasing paver blocks to recognize relatives who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. One local family bought a block to dedicate to a family member they traced back to the American Revolution, Barwinczok said.
People will also be able to donate money towards other items such as street lights, service emblems, granite benches and memorial stones for the park.
“Major contributions would be more than welcome to keep things moving along so things don't stall,” Barwinczok said. “Every penny donated will be spent on this park.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
To make donations
To donate to the Veterans Memorial Park: call John Barwinczok at 253-6022. Checks should be made payable to the Veterans Memorial Park Fund.
Items that can be donated to the park:
• War memorial stones - $2,850 each
• Granite benches - $1,000 each
• Street lights - $2,000 each
• Service emblems - $1,900 each
• Paver blocks - $100 each
“I thought it could be a good training session for the young apprentices,” Ward said. “It would be a great chance to get out and get some hands-on experience.”
Ward said John Barwinczok of the Korean War Veterans Association had mentioned he needed volunteers to do work on the park located on Genesee Street because there wasn't enough money to hire contractors.
The park has been undergoing reconstruction since the spring of 2007 when the city gave the Korean War Veterans Association permission to begin construction. The association's plans called for the creation of a memorial walkway and a central flag poll with a dedication to each branch of the United States Military in addition to the war memorials that have already been built.
Barwinczok had originally hoped to have the park finished this fall but said a shortage of funds had caused several delays which may push completion back until late 2009.
“Overall donations have been lower than expected,” Barwinczok said. “We've gotten a lot of volunteer services, which is why we have gone as far as we have gotten today.”
With a total estimated budget of more than $280,000, nearly $50,000 had already been donated, but that does not include volunteered material and labor, Barwinczok said.
Some of the donations have come from Four Seasons Memorial, KC Masonry, the American Legion in Union Springs and Callahan Masonry Supply, as well as art students from the Auburn High School who designed the archway entrance at the front of the park.
Plans are also being orchestrated to have students from East Middle School in Auburn research five battles from each war that will be placed on the memorial stones lining the main walkway.
“We got to get the youth involved because they are our future,” Barwinczok said. “If they have a hand in the memorial then they will respect it. We want a good relationship with the new generation coming up.”
Masonry student Rich Brinkleow is proud of the work he did for the park.
“It's nice to be doing this for the veterans,” Brinkleow said. “And it's cool that when you are done, if you ever come back out here you know you played a part in this (park).”
Gary Nickerson, a masonry instructor, said the work the students were doing on the park was the perfect real world application that would give the students a lasting legacy.
“This is a great experience for all of these guys who came down here to do all this work while enjoying some fresh air and sunshine,” Nickerson said. “This really gives the students a chance to see their finished product. This (monument) will last as long as the park wants it.”
At their school the students often tear down their projects after they build them so they can save the material to build something new, Nickerson said.
“It's a neat thing to watch something come together like this that will be here for a while,” said student Anthony Watkins as he pushed mortar in between two stone slabs. “This monument has been around a while and we are going to try and keep it that way.”
While the park's original monument was built in memory of the Korean War, the new park will have monuments for all the veterans who have served the United States.
“This park is for all the veterans because they all made sacrifices,” Barwinczok said. “I don't want people to think it's just for one group.”
The park will have monuments ranging from the American Revolution to the current conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Families have also been purchasing paver blocks to recognize relatives who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. One local family bought a block to dedicate to a family member they traced back to the American Revolution, Barwinczok said.
People will also be able to donate money towards other items such as street lights, service emblems, granite benches and memorial stones for the park.
“Major contributions would be more than welcome to keep things moving along so things don't stall,” Barwinczok said. “Every penny donated will be spent on this park.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
To make donations
To donate to the Veterans Memorial Park: call John Barwinczok at 253-6022. Checks should be made payable to the Veterans Memorial Park Fund.
Items that can be donated to the park:
• War memorial stones - $2,850 each
• Granite benches - $1,000 each
• Street lights - $2,000 each
• Service emblems - $1,900 each
• Paver blocks - $100 each