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 The Station Fire Memorial Foundation estimates it needs to raise
$1.4 million. It has less than $200,000 in the bank, according the
group's president, Gina Russo.
"We're not sure what we're doing wrong," Russo told The Associated
Press this week.
The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick was
started when the band Great White set off pyrotechnics that ignited
flammable foam used as soundproofing inside the club. It was the
fourth worst nightclub fire in U.S. history.
Hopes were high last year when the foundation secured rights to the
land after years of trying. A temporary memorial composed of
homemade crosses and weather-beaten mementoes had occupied the land
for more than 10 years when the longtime owner transferred the land
to the foundation in September 2012.
Plans call for individual memorials for each victim, a pavilion and
a 30-foot-high entrance gate topped by an Aeolian harp.
The land transfer meant work on the memorial could finally move
forward and fundraising could begin in earnest. The group said at
the time it had around $100,000 in the bank and hoped to raise $5
million in five years. Today, it has around $185,000, Russo said.
The group has had numerous fundraisers in the last 14 months, but
many have raised only a few thousand dollars each. They include a
private event at an Alex and Ani jewelry store, which raised around
$1,000, and a golf tournament that raised $1,200. A comedy show with
national acts that was hosted by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister and
NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" raised a disappointing $3,000, well
short of its $50,000 to $100,000 goal.
The foundation is now pursuing some new avenues, including meeting
with a professional fundraiser and trying to get some help from the
state. After consulting with state Sen. Adam Satchell, who
represents West Warwick, the foundation is preparing an application
for a Department of Environmental Management grant for parks that
could bring in tens of thousands of dollars if it qualifies.
Satchell said there are a lot of misconceptions among the public
that could be hampering the group's attempts to raise money.
"It's tough, because they got a lot of money from the settlement,
and they got money from corporate entities for the Station Family
Foundation," he said, referring to the group established immediately
after the fire to help the injured, children of those killed and
others.
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The $176 million total in settlement money was divided among the
families of the 100 who died, the 200 who were injured and lawyers.
Paula McLaughlin lost her brother and sister-in-law, Michael and
Sandy Hoogasian, in the fire. She raised more than $20,000 for the
foundation this year with a photography show of survivors and loved
ones of those killed and from sales of a commemorative pin she
designed.
She thinks there could be many reasons why they are having trouble,
including that some people have the mistaken impression that all
they have to do is "clear the land, put up a couple of trees and
call it a day."
"People don't realize that a lot of money needs to be raised to make
this come true," McLaughlin said. "It needs to be the big digits
now."
Russo said she hopes several hundred thousand dollars of the $1.4
million cost to build and maintain the memorial could be defrayed if
materials or work is donated. Developer and construction company
Gilbane Inc. is among those that have donated services to the
project.
But that still leaves hundreds of thousands of dollars to raise and
few big donors stepping up to write checks. Some of the money must
be set aside to maintain the land in perpetuity. As part of the
transfer agreement, the land will revert back to the original owners
if the foundation is unable to maintain it.
Initial work on the memorial, which has widespread support among the
victims and their families, began in September. Workers put up a
fence and cleared the land of the crosses and other items that
dotted the site. Some plants have been removed and soil has been
tested.
Russo said she doesn't want to scale back plans for the memorial,
but she said they will have to consider that if all else fails.
"No one owes us anything, and I know that. But this fire affected
the entire community," Russo said. "Over the last 10 years, I've
heard so many people and companies say, 'When it's time, we're going
to be there. We're going to build it.' Now's their opportunity."
[Associated
Press; MICHELLE R. SMITH]
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