First responders memorialized
BUTLER TWP — Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel said he finally became a volunteer firefighter because of Bradley Holmes, who was at the scene of a fire that destroyed Boozel’s Harrisville house in 2008.
Holmes, who was a member of Pine Township Engine Company, died shortly after aiding at the fire, and Boozel thought of him in 2020 when he pitched the idea for a first responders memorial to the Butler AM Rotary.
Seeing dozens of people and other first responders attend the dedication of the completed memorial and pavilion at Alameda Park on Friday was a satisfying moment for Boozel.
“I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out,” Boozel said. “I thought we needed to do more to recognize these people who go where the fire is, the danger, and of course, we lose some along the way.”
The unveiling of the monument and shelter Friday, which are near the Odd Fellows Gazebo at Alameda Park, was the culmination of more than two years of work that was facilitated by the Butler County commissioners and the Butler AM Rotary.
The monument is a stone placed on a newly paved platform that also holds a flagpole. The monument has a plaque and the symbols for firefighters, police and emergency medical services engraved on it, and it is dedicated to Butler County first responders who died while performing their duties.
President of Butler AM Rotary, Jordan Grady, led the memorial ceremony. During the unveiling, a representative for each of the three services read the names of the 17 people who have died on duty in Butler County.
“It’s just surreal to see so many faces and people connected to first responders,” said Steve Green, who was president of Butler AM Rotary when the club took on the project in 2020. “We wanted a way to honor people we have lost, but also (have) a place where families could come and celebrate those lives.”
Butler AM Rotary had a fundraising goal of $120,000 to complete the memorial, and Lisa Campbell, the project’s chairwoman, said the group surpassed that goal through sponsorships and donations.
In addition to thanking donors of the project, Campbell also thanked the county workers who performed work on the memorial, the Butler County Parks and Recreation department and her fellow Rotarians.
“We did a lot of things to get this project where it is, and I thank you for that,” Campbell said. “With how many people contributed to this project, this is a huge community effort and something everyone can enjoy.”
Jeff Geibel, Rotary vice president, also praised the work of club members and the project’s supporters.
Green said the project fills a gap. “I worked in social services for years alongside first responders,” he said. “So I see the challenges these people face every day, and we thought it was time we honor them.”
Boozel said the feedback from emergency response personnel at the dedication was one of the best parts of completing the project.
“I’ve seen members of so many different departments today,” Boozel said. “It’s all just one big family.”
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From left, Butler Township emergency services director Scott Frederick, Captain William Maitland of the state police and Nathan Bacher of Butler Ambulance Service unveil the new first responders memorial at Alameda Park on Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Scott Frederick, director of emergency services for Butler Township, reads the names of deceased firefighters from Butler County at the first responders dedication ceremony Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022, at Alameda Park. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Butler Township Volunteer Fire Department members fly the American flag from a fire truck at the first responders dedication ceremony on Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022, at Alameda Park. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Captain William Maitland of the state police reads the names of deceased law enforcement officers from Butler County at the first responders dedication ceremony Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022, at Alameda Park. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Steve Green, past president of Butler AM Rotary, emceed a ceremony celebrating the completion of a first responders pavilion at Alameda Park on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Captain William Maitland of the state police reads the names of deceased law enforcement officers from Butler County at the first responders dedication ceremony Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022, at Alameda Park. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Members of Butler Township Volunteer Fire Department pose at the first responders memorial dedication ceremony on Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022, at Alameda Park. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
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Butler County Sheriff’s Office color guards held the flags during the first responders memorial dedication ceremony Friday afternoon, Oct. 28, 2022, at Alameda Park. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
