Jack Reber is a man on a mission and the latest stop in his fund raising tour of Grove City found the American Legion Post 164 chaplain seeking financial support from the Jackson Township Trustees.
Reber told Trustees Bill Lotz and Steven Bowshier the post is in the process of soliciting donations for a new, permanent veteran’s memorial in the Grove City Cemetery. The black granite statute would stand approximately four feet high, three feet wide, and be inscribed with "Dedicated in memory of the brave men and women who served our country" along with the seals of the five military branches.
"We’ve been using a wooden memorial we put up and take down and then re-paint back at the post," said Reber during a July 22 meeting. "We decided we wanted to install a permanent stone veteran’s monument. The Grove City Cemetery gave us a 99-year lease on the space and we’re asking for donations. The cost is about $6,500.
"We’re hoping to have it ready the later part of this year or, at the latest, by Memorial Day next year and we’re asking the board for help."
The trustees indicated they would like to help in the legion’s endeavor. However, Lotz said they must confer with fellow trustee David Burris before making a final decision and determine the appropriate channels to make a financial donation to the organization.
Reber said the post welcomes financial support of any amount and donations can be sent to him at 2364 Charlemagne St., Grove City, Ohio, 43123.
In other discussion, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Dawson said the fire department is awaiting a final decision on an application for participation in a pilot project regarding pre-hospital transmission of EKGs from the field. Dawson recently attended a forum on the topic and said the new technology allows multiple transmissions of data and in a much shorter time frame – seconds versus minutes.
"Jackson Township is on the leading edge of that movement," commented Dawson.
"They’re saving cardiac muscle by going directly from the squad to the cath(erization) lab. The next step will be to do the same thing with stroke victims."
Administrator Mike Lilly said milling of asphalt on 20 Emersonia occurred July 16-18. SWACO accepted approximately 1,000 tons of materials from the re-surfacing project and also loaned the township an articulating loader to move the materials. The remainder of the asphalt will be used to top-dress the entry lane to Hiner Cemetery and then offered to Franklin Township.
The next meeting of the Jackson Township Trustees will be held on Aug. 5. Caucus begins at 12:45 p.m. followed by the regular meeting at 1:30 p.m.
