By Sarah-Jayne Simon KVOA News 4 Tucson
SIERRA VISTA, AZ – The Sierra Vista Fire Department is honoring those that lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, in a memorial artifact made from the remains of the World Trade Center.
Sierra Vista Fire Department was the recipient of a 72-pound steel artifact recovered from Ground Zero in 2011 [sic – the Sierra Vista FD received the steel in 2011]. The artifact will be the focal point of a memorial and will be surrounded by 3,000 stainless steel butterflies which represent each life lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on Flight 93.
The design for the memorial was selected after a community-wide competition that was open to all residents of the county who were 15 years old and older. Landscape architects Beverly Wilson and Dara Widner and sculptor Brian Conahue were the winners of the competition.
Donahue’s “Flutter of Souls” submission explained the symbolism of the butterflies as “a time-honored symbol of the spirit set free…a symbol of life, rebirth, renewal, and the memory of the immortal souls who have gone before us.” This winning entry will be displayed in the Maltese Cross plaza on the south side of fire station number three on Giulio Cesare Avenue.
The community is invited to take part in this project by sponsoring a butterfly for $20 each. Donations are tax deductible and can be made by mailing a check payable to the City of Sierra Vista to Fire Station number three, 675 Giulio Cesare, Sierra Vista Arizona, 85635. Cash and checks will also be accepted at Fire Station number three Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sponsors will receive a certificate acknowledging their contribution. For further questions you can call 520-417-4400.
