The Valley Community Foundation this week renewed its call for help replacing stolen plaques at war monuments in three Valley communities.
Last year thieves stole plaques from the Woodbridge Avenue Honor Roll and War Memorial in Ansonia, the Frank P. Witek Memorial Park in Derby, and a memorial dedicated to Commodore Isaac Hull in Shelton.
Many people reacted to the thefts with dismay and disgust.
The Valley Community Foundation created a new fund last month to help pay for the memorial restoration — and said it would match the first $6,000 in donations.
The Valley Community Foundation is putting up $5,000. VCF President James Cohen gathered another $1,000 from his family members, in order to match donations from concerned residents.
In all, the foundation hopes to eventually gather $50,000 to help restore the memorials.
Cohen said only about $2,000 has been raised so far through the foundation’s efforts.
“Frankly, it’s been very disappointing,” Cohen said.
So the foundation stepped up its efforts this week, placing donation forms in city and town halls throughout the region, and issuing another press release about the call for donations.
The foundation also announced it has tapped three Valley mayors to help administer the fund.
An advisory group made up of Ansonia Mayor James Della Volpe, Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, and a representative of the Derby Historical Society will recommend how to distribute money raised.
Final disbursements will be reviewed and ratified by the foundation’s board of directors.
A copy of the donation form is also at the bottom of this story.
Those interested can also donate directly to the fund through the foundation’s website.
No one has been charged in connection to the thefts.
