From staff reports
The Oil City Library is sponsoring a fund drive to help raise money for repairs to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the Central Avenue Plaza.
“In our mind, it fits with our mission to connect people to their culture and to preserve local history,” said Dan Flaherty, library director.
Earlier this summer, city public works director Howard Faunce put out a call for contributions to refurbish the Soldiers and Sailors Monument that towers above a raised traffic island on Central Avenue.
Estimates to repair the monument, dedicated in November 1928 to men and women who served in the armed forces, are pegged at $8,300.
“So far, about $6,000 has been received and I know there are a few more donations out there,” said Faunce. “If we have enough, we’ll do an overall cleaning of the monument, too.”
A loyal library patron suggested the library join in the campaign, said Flaherty.
“Fred Weaver challenged us to put out a donation jar, which we did,” said the library director. “It was a team effort as we took it a step further and prepared a flier on the effort and then did one more thing.”
“For the next two weeks, until Sept. 14, people can choose to pay their library fines to the library or the monument fund,” said Flaherty. “We hope it adds up. The monument sits just outside our doorstep so, in a way, it’s an extension of the library entrance and a reflection of the surrounding area.”
