Donor-funded memorial

to be unveiled Sept. 11
Three local businesses expected to fund East Bruns.

to be unveiled Sept. 11

Three local businesses expected to fund East Bruns.’s memorial

East Brunswick is expected to receive about $40,000 in donations to pay for a Sept. 11 memorial that will be built alongside the pond in the municipal complex.

Mayor William Neary said, at Monday night’s Township Council meeting, the township will receive enough money to pay for the memorial sculpture, as well as surrounding landscaping and related costs. Officials had initially thought the municipality would have to pay a portion of the work, and in June the council approved $20,000 for the project.

The sculpture, which is being completed by Blaise Batko, the artist who built the township’s war veterans memorial, will list the names of the people from East Brunswick who lost their lives in the attacks, according to Jacque Eaker, special assistant to the mayor. It will be about 7 feet in height, and will be in the form of the two World Trade Center buildings.

The sculpture will be placed between the gazebo and the veterans memorial.

Eaker said the total cost of the project, including labor, materials and design, will be about $21,000.

The sculpture will be unveiled Sept. 11 during a ceremony at the site.

Neary announced at the meeting that local developer Westminster Properties, Commerce Bank and the Care One assisted living facility, Cranbury Road, were the three businesses that donated the $40,000.

Neary did not give a breakdown of how much each business gave, but said that, in addition to donating money of its own, Care One also held a fund-raiser recently to obtain more funds. The event, which included entertainment and games, raised about $1,000, he said.

In addition to paying the cost of the sculpture, the donated funds will be used to provide for infrastructure and landscaping work, he said. The infrastructure includes the base, footings and sidewalk, as well as electricity for the lights, he said.

The council has already received the funds from Commerce Bank, while the donation from Westminster Properties is forthcoming, officials said. Care One is expected to pay for the landscaping and infrastructure directly, rather than giving the township the money. The $40,000 figure includes the estimated cost of the work that Care One will pay for.

Neary said it is unlikely there will be any money left over from the project, but he noted that if there is a surplus, it would likely be given to the fund for township families who lost family members Sept. 11, Eaker said.

Neary said the businesses knew the township was interested in receiving donations to pay for the memorial.

"They’re businesses that care about the community," he said.

Eaker added, "They asked to help, and the mayor has said all along he’d like to not use taxpayer dollars."

She said the unveiling will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11, and that it will be followed by a candlelight vigil at 8 p.m.

Neary said the event may include the involvement of the East Brunswick High School band and chorus, as well as local clergy and township officials.

"We’re still putting together all the final plans. It’s not finalized yet," he said.

— Vincent Todaro