The WSFM  is looking for donations of mannequins , full body, torso's and heads. for a display inside the NEW VISITOR CENTER.   Contact me at happymillmore@hotmail.com  if you have any mannequins that we could use.   They are going to be set up as an "old time" firehouse display.  

THANK YOU!!!

Mike Miller

From the President of the WSFM

In February of 2009 the WSFM took over the latest addition to the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Park, and that is the addition of the Memorial Center.  The Memorial Center was built in the rich tradition of a turn of the 20th Century Fire House.  The WSFM chose this design to compliment the park setting of the Firefighters Memorial, and also to ensure that the Memorial Center would not become a dated structure a few years down the road.

The construction of the final phase of this beautiful memorial took a lot of time, money and perseverance, but for anyone who has visited or will visit this beautiful site, they will quickly realize that all that effort and risk was worth it. 

The WSFM took out a loan to finish this final phase of the building project.  This was after careful consideration of construction costs if the board waited until all monies were available to build or take out a loan on part of the project and pay the interest on the loan.  Construction costs each year were well above what taking out a loan would cost the WSFM, so a loan was pursued and received from Wood Trust Bank in Wisconsin Rapids.  The building costs came to just under $380,000 with the WSFM putting down $120,000 on the project.  The WSFM receives no tax money for construction of this memorial, but we did lobby for and receive a tax check-off line on the Wisconsin State Tax Form, whereas any Wisconsin Taxpayer may in the privacy of their own home, make a contribution to the memorial from their Wisconsin Tax refund or payment. 

The new Memorial Center will require landscaping in the spring of 2009 which will include, needed fill, underground sprinkling, new trees and shrubbery, benches and lighting and walkways.  Much of the labor for this will come from volunteers who have come forward to help with the construction and maintenance of their memorial park. 

To all Fire Organizations across this great State of Wisconsin, we ask for your continued support and to all Firefighters please continue your ongoing support with your donations of time and money. 

The Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Board invites all Fire Organizations across the State of Wisconsin to use this memorial park for their services to honor their fallen brothers and sisters.  If your organization would like to do this please just contact the WSFM and let us know what date you would like to have the ceremony so it does not conflict with other activities.

The "Friends of the Memorial", a group of firefighters from several Fire Departments, are gearing up and getting ready for maintaing this beautiful memorial in 2009.  If your Fire Department or if you personally would like to help with the park, please contact myself and we will be happy to include your Fire Department or an individual into the process.  It takes just a few hours once a week to keep this memorial in pristine condition.  This year in the early spring we will be having fill brought in, setting and pouring concrete sidewalk around the new center, pouring and setting bench forms and bringing in new shrubbery around the center; this will all take volunteer help.  Can you help for a few hours or a few different days this spring?  

 You may contact me by email at howdoin@wctc.net or call me at 715-421-0863 if you would like to help with park maintenance.

Thank you and look for a monthly letter from the President.

Retired Firefighter Lieutenant/Paramedic

Tom Anderson  (Charlie)