By gloria stravelli
Staff Writer
A fund-raiser has been hired to help raise the $850,000 needed for the county’s memorial to local victims of the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks.
Jennifer Anderson, an independent consultant based in Monmouth Beach, was chosen from a field of three candidates who responded to a request for proposals to raise funds for the memorial, which will be located at Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook in Atlantic Highlands.
She has been retained by Friends of the Parks, the nonprofit, fund-raising arm of the Monmouth County Parks System, which is assisting the Monmouth County Sept. 11 Memorial Committee in raising funds for the memorial.
The memorial committee has verified the names of 134 victims who were either born, grew up or lived in the county and is seeking contact information for the families of five victims believed to have a connection with the county.
Those people are: Jane Beatty and Richard Stadelburger, both Middletown, Michael Jacobs, town unknown, Charles J. Mauro, Marlboro, and Alan Wisniewski, Howell.
Anyone with information about these individuals or their families is asked to contact Faith Hahn, planner for the park system, at (732) 842-4000, ext. 4263.
Anderson has handled event planning and fund raising for local organizations including Red Bank RiverCenter, the Children’s Cultural Center in Red Bank, Two River Theatre Company, Red Bank, Meridian Health System Affiliated Foundations, the American Cancer Society, and the Community Foundation of Monmouth County.
A native of Monmouth Beach, she is a former president of the Junior League of Monmouth County.
"Our goal here is to really bring the community together in support of this effort, to reach out on all levels," Anderson said Tuesday, "to give every family an opportunity to participate."
She said fund-raising efforts will reach out to local businesses, major donors, service organizations and school districts and raise dollar amounts keyed to 9/11, beginning with $9.11 and up.
"We would like each classroom in the county to raise $9.11," she explained.
In addition to fund-raising, Anderson said related projects will include a commemorative journal and a time capsule to be buried at the site.
"The volunteers that serve on the memorial committee are excellent, but we can’t do everything," said Frank Tomaino, local architect and member of the all-volunteer memorial committee that includes several family members of Sept. 11 victims.
According to Tomaino, Anderson will receive approximately $35,000 to manage the fund-raising campaign as well as plan special events, including a ground-breaking ceremony scheduled to take place Sept. 11 of this year and a dedication ceremony targeted for Sept. 11, 2004.
Besides the $850,000 needed for the memorial and fund-raising drive, the county has allocated $450,000 for site improvements at Mount Mitchill, where the memorial will be situated on a site affording a view of the New York skyline where the twin towers destroyed in the attacks once stood.
Tomaino said the committee has established a Web site, www.monmouthcounty911memorial.com, which provides information about the memorial and about how to make donations.
Information is also available from Friends of the Parks, at (732) 975-9735, or by mail at P.O. Box 686, Lincroft, 07738-0686.