Joe Davidowicz of Davco Excavating plants a tree at Mill Brook Park. (Courtesy photograph.)
A number of local businesses are stepping up with some of the extras members of Haverhill’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial thought they’d have do without.
Ralph T. Basiliere, chairman of Haverhill’s Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Ad Hoc Commission, said more than $14,000 of in-kind services have been donated which will bring irrigation, seating, lighting and other improvements to the new memorial at Mill Brook Park.
“The Commission values relationships with our coalition partners. Time and again they deliver for the Vietnam Veterans. We’re very pleased,” he said. Basiliere said a major, but unbudgeted item on the wish list was an irrigation system, but Thompson Landscaping and Cutting Edge Lawn Services, both of Haverhill, came through with a system valued at $8,000. Making the donation possible was also work provided by the Haverhill Water Department.
Further, Basiliere said, SiteOne Landscape Supply, a distributor for FX Luninaire, donated a $2,500 lighting system after being contacted by Commissioner Fred Clark. Cutting Edge is also providing granite benches valued at $2,000 and Davco Excavating Co. donated $2,500 worth of services.
The new memorial park will feature a seven-ton obelisk, new ‘13’ memorial and education stanchions made of granite.
Basiliere said some plantings and maintenance money may be temporarily omitted. He hopes those costs might be covered, in part, by a raffle with a $5,000 first prize. Tickets are $100 each and only 250 tickets will be sold. Besides the $5,000 grand prize, there are second and third prizes of $3,000 and $2,000 respectively. The drawing takes place Monday, Aug. 31.
The Spring Raffle is taking place in concert with the Exchange Club of Haverhill. Basiliere promises “no contact” raffle ticket sales by calling him at 978-891-2281.