Central figures Dave Gardner's SUV pulled up in front of Brockport Fire Department Station No. 4 on the evening of June 17, completing a trip from Houston, Texas. A small crowd watched him and his nephew, Kevin Johnson, Jr., unload a black marble plaque with "September 11, 2001" spelled out in stark white inlaid marble. Johnson, a Brockport resident and recent St. John Fisher College graduate, has been a volunteer with the fire department for two years. The plaque will be part of the monument to the firefighters and rescue workers who were killed in the September 11 tragedy in New York City. Located in front of the historic "Capen Hose" station at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue, the monument will feature wood carvings by Brockport's Richard Kron, recreating the world famous photograph of three firefighters raising the American flag on a leaning flag pole at Ground Zero. Gardner is co-owner with his brother, Robert Gardner, of a stone fabrication shop in Houston. The company typically processes counter and table tops, and exteriors of commercial buildings. "Wherever stone is needed, that's what we do," Gardner said. The need for a stone plaque came up in a meeting of the fire department's monument committee a few weeks ago. Deputy Chief Chris McCullough suggested black marble similar to that used in the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to Scott Warthman, past chief and present historian. Johnson, a committee member, then offered to call his uncle for advice. After phone calls and faxes, it was agreed that Gardner would provide the plaque. Measuring six feet by one foot and three quarter inches thick, the plaque is made of Andes black granite with Sierra white flame finished granite for the inlaid letters. The letters were first cut out of the black granite with a water jet containing a garnet abrasive and controlled by computer. The white marble letters were cut the same way and inlaid. "As far as doing lettering and real fine work with some of these brittle stones, you can't do it by hand," Gardner said. "The water jet cuts it very clean." The monument organizers were expecting to pay for the plaque at a courtesy price. After placing the plaque and discussing how to secure it Monday evening, Gardner was asked if he had the invoice. His response to the group gathered was, "After seeing what you're doing here, the plaque is my contribution." Current fundraising has reached $6,300 toward the goal of $12,000, according to Warthman. The funds will help pay for lighting, a security camera, the sculptures, and the dedication ceremony. The completed monument will be dedicated on Sunday, August 18. Contributions can be addressed to Firefighters Monument Fund, P.O. Box 254, Brockport, NY 14420. Call (585) 637-1030 for information. |
Capturing a moment in time. Based on a photograph taken by an Associated Press photographer as recovery efforts were just beginning at Ground Zero in New York City September 11, 2001, the gathering of three rescue workers raising an American flag has become a well-recognized image. In mid-August, a three-dimensional rendition of the photograph will be dedicated in Brockport. Woodcrafter Richard Kron of Brockport (shown painting some finishing touches on one of the figures) accepted the request from the Brockport Fire Department to create the memorial figures and has spent six months on the project -- the longest such endeavor he has ever undertaken. Carving large figures was not new to the talented artist, but now he says he is ready to get back to painting -- just because he likes to work with color and most of his carvings have been done to leave the wood exposed. “It was quite a journey to complete,” Kron said. “There were a few setbacks, but I never doubted that it would work out.” As work progressed on the life-size figures, the details on each piece added to the amazement of anyone privileged to get a preview of the three rescue workers. At left, Kron points to stitching detail on the pocket of the jeans of one of the carvings. Using actual firemen’s protective gear as guides, Kron carved folds and creases in the white oak tree trunks. The painting adds another life-like dimension. The artist plans to have a gallery of his wood carvings at his home in Brockport in the future. Photographs by Walter Horylev.