Excerpts from CLTV.com:
In Beverly, locals are working to raise money to dedicate a portion of King Lockhart Park to 9/11 firefighters and police officers..
The park at 10609 S. Western Ave. is currently dedicated to two firefighters who died battling a blaze in 1998. There’s an initiative underway to include a Chicago 9/11 area to the park to honor all those who answered the call for help 17 years ago. Among them was Chicago Fire Department Capt. Herbert “Herbie” Johnson, who later died fighting a fire in Gage Park in 2012.
Firefighters he befriended in New York City donated steel from the World Trade Center towers to Chicago in Johnson’s name. It sat in storage for almost five years, but is now finally being crafted into a sculpture after Ald. Matt O’Shea helped make the project a priority. Chicago artist Terrence Karpowicz anticipates completing the sculpture within six months to a year.
On Tuesday, 20 percent of proceeds at the Buona Beef at 10633 S. Western Ave. will benefit the monument fund.
Johnson’s daughter is raising money to help get the sculpture off the ground. For more information, click here.
