HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Fundraising is still being done to raise $40,000 for the new eternal flame that is part of the Gander Memorial restoration project. A local non-profit Dad’s House Inc. has the goal of enhancing the physical structure of the memorial, improving the accessibility and landscaping, and installing more educational historical elements.
The Gander Memorial is located on Fort Campbell Boulevard in Hopkinsville, underneath the I-169 overpass. It commemorates the 248 soldiers and crew members of the 101st Airborne Division who died in a crash of Arrow Air Flight 1285 in Gander, Newfoundland in 1985.
With ongoing fundraising, the project remains on schedule for the previously planned dedication event on Dec. 12, according to Jackie Ross with Dad’s House Inc. Since they started construction over the summer, visible progress has been made in recent weeks.
The eye-catching focus of the memorial will be the addition of a new eternal flame, with the main portion of the structure already erected along with the gas and plumbing elements of the structure put in place. Additional fundraising to finish the work on the eternal flame is needed, with Dad’s House recently hitting the halfway point of their $40,000 fundraising goal.
Ross told Christian County Now that aside from the eternal flame, concrete has been poured, benches and bases for plaques have been constructed. Eagle statues have been placed at the entrance to the monument in an effort to enhance the overall presentation and solemnity of the memorial.
This restoration is being done alongside support from the Christian County Military Affairs Committee and the City of Hopkinsville as well as several local businesses. Individuals, organizations, and businesses who are looking to donate can do so the Dad’s House Inc. website.
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