Collier commissioners renew push to finish Freedom Memorial

Author: Jennifer Jones
Published: Updated:

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – A tribute to the victims and heroes of September 11 has been sitting unfinished for years.

$1.2 million is needed to finish the Freedom Memorial off of Golden Gate Parkway near Goodlette-Frank Road in Naples.

Now county leaders may be ready to hand over your tax dollars to get it done.

“We want to finish this, it’s a beautiful thing,” said Jerry Sanford, chairman of the Freedom Memorial Task Force.

The project is 14 years in the making but it’s still under construction. During that time $750,000 has been raised for it, either through commemorative bricks or donations.

“We never forget what happened September 11, 2001, and all of the people that have fought and died so that you and I can be here today.”

Sanford tells WINK News there has been a big push from city and county leaders recently to get the monument done.

The latest comes from Collier County Commissioner Georgia Hiller.

“That the county match the amount of money we raise from the Freedom Memorial Foundation to help us complete our project,” said Sanford.

Under the proposal, Commissioner Hiller tells WINK News the county would match a maximum of $600,000 with money from the capital and the general fund.

“We’re so excited, we’re hoping we get the five votes down there,” said Sanford.

Collier County Commissioners will vote on this proposal on Tuesday. If approved, they will immediately begin matching private funds raised dollar for dollar.

If you’d like to donate to the cause, click here.

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