Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2002
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/miscellaneous.html

Kansas' Fallen Firefighters Statue at Wichita Garden Show
February 2002
Carolyn Utter, Editor

    Fathers, sons, brothers, uncles ... each of these brave men left
behind family members who both grieved their loss and were proud of
their accomplishments. These men are some of Kansas' best ... 86
firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty.

    These men will soon be honored at the Kansas Fallen Firefighters
Memorial located at The Kansas Firefighter's Museum at 1300 S. Broadway
in Wichita.

     Phase I of the project consists of:
        - "Final Call" a life-size bronze statue of a firefighter
            discovering the helmet of a comrade amid fire debris
        - Engraved brick plaza
        - Memorial wall
        - 50-foot flagpole

     Phase II will consist of:
        - Ceremonial area of engraved bricks
        - Three ceremonial flagpoles

    The life-sized bronze statue will be mounted on a black granite
pedestal with the face of the fire-fighter at eye level.

    But first, the "Final Call" statue by Wichita artist Dorothy
Koelling, will be on display at Johnson's Garden Center's landscaping
exhibit at the Wichita Garden Show, February 27-March 3. Be sure to stop
by to visit this unique tribute to those who have paid for our safety
with their very lives.

    The Kansas Firefighter's Museum began seven years ago as a
grassroots project among three retired firefighters and three concerned
citizens in the neighborhood surrounding Old Engine House No. 6 on south
Broadway. The museum's professional displays are a tribute to these men
and others who volunteered their time and talent to bring the museum to
life. For more information about the Museum and the Memorial, visit
their website at: http://home.kscable.com/hpa/engine2.html

    If you are interested in touring the museum, winter hours are
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment for groups over 15.