The Pines Bridge Monument is a few thousand dollars closer to reaching its fundraising goal of $300,000 and becoming a reality.
The idea for the in town on May 14, 1781, was first brought up by Yorktown police officer Michael Kahn. He has since been working on bringing that history to life.
Tuesday afternoon, Kahn received a check for $50,000 from Senator Greg Ball (R, C-Patterson). The capital grant, which brought the amount of money raised from $30,000 to $80,000, was available as a result of a three-way agreement, between the Governor, Senate and Assembly, Ball said.
"My hope is this grant will help just start fundraising efforts and encourage the community to help make this project a reality," Ball said.
Kahn, members of the Pines Bridge Monument Fundraising Committee and the Yorktown Historical Society have been working together on raising money for the project.
A fundraising thermometer, with a goal of $300,000, has been erected at Downing Park to track the progress of the fundraising efforts. Downing Park is the site of the life-size monument, which will immortalize members of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, whose duties were to protect the Pines Bridge 231 years ago.
"I am excited because we have been working on this for over three years," Kahn said. "I made a commitment that we would honor our first veterans and give praise to those unknown and forgotten founding fathers and veterans."
One of the biggest fundrasing efforts going on right now are through the Bricks Are Us program. Click here and here to read more about it. The committee is also selling, through the Yorktown Historical Society and the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce, Thanksgiving turkey dinner raffles.
If you'd like to donate and help make the Pines Bridge Monument a reality, click here.
For more information on the Battle of Pines Bridge Monument, please contact Michael Kahn at Monument1781@yahoo.com. Updates are posted at www.yorktownhistory.org and on Facebook at Remember the Revolution-Yorktown Heights, NY.
You can also send a check, with "Monument Fund" in the memo section to: Yorktown Historical Society, P.O. Box 355, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598.
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