‘Fireman’s Fountain Brick Campaign passes 400 mark’

Owego Hose Teams, Inc., has announced its “Buy a Brick” campaign supporting the Baker Fireman’s Fountain restoration effort has sold more than 400 bricks to date. As part of the overall restoration project a memorial brick walkway will be set leading up to the Fireman Fountain from Main Street. Individuals, businesses, and organizations have purchased “memorial bricks” that forever memorialize their tax-deductible contribution in honor of loved ones, community heroes, and a host of other special remembrances. 

Modeled after the Walk of Honor at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland, each brick is being inscribed by Richard’s Monument Service in Owego. The same brick type used at the Emmitsburg Memorial from Glen Gery Bricks is being used in Owego also. 

The hose team’s original goal was to sell 100 bricks and has long been surpassed with the total now standing at 411 bricks sold. Multiple brick orders are still being made each week. 

Brick orders have come in from all over the country from people with ties to Owego in 20 different states. Several Owego Free Academy (OFA) graduating classes have purchased bricks including the classes of 1962, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1987, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, and the Owego Elementary School (OES) Class of 2018 future OFA Class of 2025.  

The OFA Class of 1970 put the total brick order number over 400 with 17 bricks ordered honoring many community heroes including the five past OFA students killed in the Vietnam War, five Owego Fire Fallen Firefighters that included Class of 1970 graduate Steve Gavin, OPD Police Officer Allen Hall who was killed in the line of duty and several others.  

When a brick is ordered, the purchaser receives a letter and certificate thanking them for their donation. If the brick is a gift in honor or in memory of someone, the hose team prepares and sends a letter and certificate to the person being honored or to the family of someone being remembered. As Owego Hose Teams, Inc. is a recognized 501(c) 3 charitable organization the contribution is tax deductible. All proceeds benefit the fountain restoration. Bricks will continue to be sold even after the walkway is put down this spring, as blank bricks will be placed in the walkway and exchanged with new orders. 

The hose team has raised over $100,000 for the project through their annual memorial golf tournament at Tioga Golf Club, grants from the Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation, Fannie C. Hyde Charitable Trust, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, chicken BBQs, Monte Carlo Nights, brick sales and donations. Work on the fountain site has paused due to winter conditions and will resume in the spring. The project is expected to be completed in late spring this year will plans in the works for a celebratory rededication, firemen’s parade, hose race, and dinner reception.    

Updates on the fountain project, brick purchases, and registrations for the June 1 hose team golf tournament can be found on the hose team website at www.OwegoHoseTeams.com or by following the hose team on Facebook @owegohoseteams.