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Construction on Brick Memorial Project in Williamsport Begins

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. —  A veterans memorial project in Lycoming County, slated to be completed by the end of summer, is only just beginning now. We first tol...

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --  A veterans memorial project in Lycoming County, slated to be completed by the end of summer, is only just beginning now.

We first told you about the brick project about five months ago.

We recently started getting calls from people who bought bricks for this project months ago. When we stopped by the site, we found out construction started this week.

Penn College students spent part of the morning leveling off a cement footer at Lycoming County Veterans Memorial Park in Williamsport.

They're working for free.

"I'm glad that we're doing it," said Ian Myers. "It's a way for all of us to give back to the community where we go to school and the community, the city, gives us these jobs to get out of the classroom to go out and do some work."

Bricks engraved with a name or special message will soon be permanently placed in this park.

The Lycoming County Veterans Memorial Park Commission has been working for months to complete this $55,000 project.

"There are going to be six monuments commemorating the six conflicts," said instructor Harry Hintz.

So far, nearly 200 bricks have been sold for as much as $200 dollars each, depending on the size.

The nonprofit commission has also relied heavily on donations.

"We have stone that's been donated for the base. Wild Rose donated the concrete which was just done," Hintz said.

When we first learned about the project, organizers told us this could be completed by the end of the summer. The project has hit a few roadblocks and that includes waiting for these students to get back into school.

"We don't have construction in the summer so we have a small window in the fall. The spring is usually cold until we are done for the summer, so there's a window that we can actually work and unfortunately, that's the time frame that sets the pace for these jobs," said Penn College instructor Glenn Luse.

While this group has months of work ahead, they see it as more than a job -- it's an experience.

"Humbling, particularly if you look at all of the names on the plaques," Hintz added.

"They want to be a part of it. They want to follow the steps as we go through the process. They are really going to be the ones enjoying it once the project is done," Kurtis Klodnicki said.

The Lycoming County Veterans Memorial Park Commission now hopes to have the project finished by spring.

They are still selling bricks and have room for as many as 2,000.

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