Blawnox to expand its memorial brick program to allow non-military recognitions

Blawnox officials are looking to expand a memorial brick program to allow families of non-veterans to honor present and past residents and others with a borough connection.

Borough manager Kathy Ulanowicz said folks have been clamoring to create such solid recognition of beloved family members and friends ever since Blawnox coordinated such an opportunity for its war memorial refurbishment last year.

It was an effort spearheaded by former Councilman John Simmons and the Blawnox Centennial Committee.

Those bricks have the name of a soldier, military branch, service years and, if space allowed, commendations such as a Purple Heart and other medals.

Located at the intersection of Freeport Road and North Avenue, the memorial was established in 1991.

Its inscription reads: “Dedicated to the men and women of this community who served in all wars.”

The committee was able to get 4,400 bricks donated by Building Products of Sharpsburg and labor donated by Overbeck’s Nursery & Landscaping in Blawnox.

The committee also partnered with Bricks R Us of Miami to have the bricks engraved. The cost was $100 per brick.

Ulanowicz said the price remains the same for the new bricks, and Oberbeck’s has once again agreed to handle installation.

“Overbeck’s is always community-minded,” Ulanowicz said of the business participation. “They work very well in the community and I appreciate that they are going to continue working with us in order to get these new pavers laid for our other residents.”

The new initiative will launch sometime next year. It is unclear which company would supply the new bricks. Engraving would once again be done by Bricks R Us.

“The bricks will be able to be purchased by anyone who would like to honor someone,” Ulanowicz said. “Current or former resident, business owner, firefighter, anybody who has (ties to Blawnox).

“What we will not put in there will be something that’s egregiously not Blawnox. We want to make sure the present, former and future residents and business owners of Blawnox will have an opportunity to (be) memorialized on a brick.”

The new bricks will be located a few feet away from the memorial, in the sidewalk area closer to Freeport Road.

The borough plans to start with 100 bricks available for engraving.

At least 30 veteran memorial bricks have been installed since the program launched, including several this month.

Overbeck’s is co-owned by siblings April and Frank Overbeck.

The business was founded by their grandfather, Arthur “Ike” Overbeck, in 1967.

The US Army veteran and World War II soldier died April 16, 2005. He was 83.

April Overbeck said they got involved in the war memorial project in honor of Ike and pledged to keep his community spirit in the brick program’s next chapter.

“My grandfather was a veteran, and he did things with the borough,” April Overbeck said. “We’re just continuing what he did. This is something that he would have done if he had still been here. It’s us following his legacy.”

The borough handled all the memorial brick ordering and shipping, and Overbeck’s crews would get the finished bricks for installation.

“That’s how it’s been for the past year, so I don’t see how it (will) change,” Overbeck said about the process.

She said the family also supports having the non-veteran bricks installed away from the war memorial.