Eastern Shore of Virginia Firefighters and Rescue Workers Kicking Off a Fund Raising Campaign

Raising money for Line of Duty Death memorial for firefighters, EMTs

Written by
Carol Vaughn
Staff Writer

MELFA -- Eastern Shore of Virginia firefighters and rescue workers are kicking off a fund raising campaign to build a memorial honoring those from the Shore who have died in the line of duty.
The Eastern Shore Line of Duty Memorial will be built on the grounds of the Eastern Shore Regional Fire Training Center in Melfa, which is operated by Accomack and Northampton counties jointly.

Plans to raise funds include a letter-writing campaign soliciting donations from local businesses and civic organizations and fund-raising events including a radiothon.

Donations should be mailed to the Accomack County Department of Public Safety, P. O. Box 102, Tasley, Va. 23441. Make checks payable to Accomack County with a note designating the donation for “Line of Duty Memorial.”

Organizers hope to receive enough donations by January 1, 2014 to construct the first of two planned phases of the memorial, with the goal being to formally dedicate it in July 2014, memorial committee member Jimmy Rowley of Parksley Volunteer Fire Company said.

“It’s an excellent way for the community to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Rowley, who also serves as chaplain of the Delmarva Firemen’s Association.

The first phase of the memorial, which will cover a 20-by-40-foot area on the training center grounds, includes a circular concrete pad topped with engravable brick pavers and surrounded by grass, along with a wall holding two memorial plaques, one for firefighters and one for rescue personnel.

The design was developed by a committee of six, which included members from Accomack and Northampton county volunteer fire departments and the Accomack County Department of Public Safety.

Members are C. Ray Pruitt of the Accomack County Department of Public Safety, who replaced former Public Safety Director Jason Loftus when Loftus moved away from the area; Susan Leonard and Vince Savona, both also of the ACDPS; Jim LeCato of Northampton Fire and Rescue; Freddie Matthews of Parksley Volunteer Fire Company; and Rowley.

Committee members credited Loftus with spearheading the effort to have a memorial constructed.

After doing research including studying line of duty death criteria set by the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and asking older volunteer firefighters for their recollections about past line of duty deaths, the committee concluded the memorial initially will include eight names of Shore residents who died in the line of duty—Milton Eugene Taylor; Thomas W. Griffin Jr.; Steven A. Colona; Kenneth T. Miller; Page O. Outten; Walter Pond; William Harold “Hal” Clark; and David R. Chew Jr.

Volunteer fire departments on the Eastern Shore were asked to make a contribution to jumpstart the effort and some $8,000 in donations has been collected so far. About $35,000 is needed to complete the first phase.

The second phase will add to the memorial two benches, a flagpole, a bell and two statues, one of a firefighter and one of a rescue worker.

The total price tag is $75,000.

The committee has been working on plans for the memorial since July 2011 and has presented the design to the fire and rescue commissions of both Accomack and Northampton counties.

Source;