|
The “Victory Bell Tower” and “Pathway to Victory” project began July 22, 2004 and was finished July 29, 2005. The project served many purposes. 1) The primary purpose was to raise money for our newly created alumni scholarship fund. 2) It was to be a structure, where we could come together and celebrate our “victories”, both individually and collectively. 3) It was to serve as a monument to our alumni, past and present. 4) It was a gift to new high school, the students, our alumni, and the community.
Our Past President, Dan McDonnell, took pictures and documented the construction process. We hope you enjoy the pictures. The next time you visit the high school, stop by the bell tower and just for fun ring the bell. That bell just happens to be the original bell from the old school building on summit road. Here are Dan’s note and comments.
This page will remain as a reminder of the sacrifice and donation to its vision. If you click on the pictures they get larger. The trench for the foundation was excavated on July 22, 2004. The next pictures are of the block structure as it is being built. Howard Emswiler has been much help in the donation of his heavy equipment in the excavation of the project. Many thanks go out to Jim Lenhart and his family and friends. Much money was saved by him and those helping in the way of labor.
Here is a list of companies that have donated time and materials toward this endeavor: Schor Architects, Buckeye Ready Mix, Creative Masonry, Buckeye Mulch and Garden Center, Emswiler Farms, Five Seasons Landscaping Company, and Modlich Engravers in Columbus who did all the engraving on all of the bricks and the victory stone.
The engraved face bricks were started on September 4, 2004. The bricks sold to date were placed on the inside of the monument. The wings were left un-bricked to provide the opportunity for others to purchase a large bricks in our second sale.
The bricks were taped to protect the lettering during construction. They were placed on the inside of the structure and two of the columns were finished. The work was done by Jim Lenhart (alum) and his son Jimmy of Creative Masonry.
Dan McDonnell, Past President, did the steelwork and welding required for hanging the old bell. It rings again! Thanks to Howard Fry (alum) for pouring and finishing the concrete steps and floor of the tower. The roof was completed May 8, 2005. The walkway was put in and all that was left to do on the main structure was finishing the walls and do some landscaping. The landscaping in the front of the tower was donated by Buckeye Mulch and Garden Center, and installed by the Vice President, Tom Dunkle and the President, Dan McDonnell. The target date for completion was the end of July 2005. We cut off sales of the large brick just after the Alumni Banquet that year, so we could finish the main structure.
It was July 11, 2005 and we were real close to finishing the project, thanks to the donation of not only landscaping materials and bushes, but labor as well from Five Season Landscaping on Mink Road. These people were great! A crew of 8 jumped right in and donated their time and product for our cause. The pictures show them working on the job: Tom Snider, Andrea Slack, Steve Woods, Brian Kern, Elliott Walker, Nick Utzinger, Nick Carter, and Matt Kaufman.
The bell tower was finished thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Linharts, on July 29, 2005. We continue to take orders for brick pavers to add to the Pathway to Victory. You will find a link for the order form on the main menu.
The project design winner was students Lance Mitchell and Sean Blair. Jordan Meyer wrote the winning poem “Pathway to Victory’.
|
|
PATHWAY TO VICTORY
Apathetic to loss, always strive for something better.
And if we go down, we all go down together.
The hornet has power, and everyone can tell
When we tread the path to victory, and ring the victory bell.
We will never give up, we wear our colors proud
And you may break a sweat when you hear the buzzing sound.
So make room for the swarm, and don’t say you weren’t told.
We fly our colors proud; we are the maroon and gold.
Jordan Meyer
2004
|
|
