FARRELL

Couple takes on monumental task to clean up memorial to veterans

A Farrell couple decided to take matters into their own hands this week and began cleaning a monument for World War I veterans.

About two years ago, Kim and Susan Kirsch were walking through Veteran’s Square on Spearman Avenue when they noticed that the monument was in really bad shape.

"He really felt this was a disgrace," Mrs. Kirsch said of her Vietnam veteran husband Kim. Although Mrs. Kirsch has lived in Farrell for eight years she didn’t even realize it was a memorial.

The monument was built between 1932-33 by Mayor Joseph Franek. The stone base of the memorial has dedication plaques on both sides. On top of its steel flag pole sits a copper ball.

The work began with sandblasting the flag pole, Mrs. Kirsch said. They started Thursday and have three-quarters of the pole done, but they’ve run into a problem. Their power lift only reaches 40 feet high, and the pole is about 70 feet tall, Mrs. Kirsch said.

Companies are reluctant to rent lifts to them because they don’t want the sand getting into the equipment, Mrs. Kirsch said. The project wont’ be finished until they can find another lift.

Kirsch said he is paying for the project himself and friends are helping him complete the cement work around the base of the monument. Memorial Craft in Farrell is going to help clean the stones and plaques on the monument, Kirsch said.

The Kirschs said Mayor William Morroco helped them get permission from city council to do the work on their own. Once the work on the monument is complete, Mrs. Kirsch said they are going to weed the corner of the square where it stands.

Kirsch said he hopes in the future other people will help to take care of the monument so it doesn’t get this bad.

Mrs. Kirsch said her husband has to sandblast the monument one inch at a time to get 67 years worth of grime removed.

"It takes so long, but it’s worth it," she said.