The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 brought the heroic work of firefighters to the forefront of the nation?EUR??,,????'???s psyche. In an effort to honor firefighters nationwide, sculptors with Colton, Calif.-based Al?EUR??,,????'???s Garden Art have designed specially commissioned statues commemorating Sept. 11.

?EUR??,,????'??One of our Texas customers made a statue that he sent to New York City after 9-11,?EUR??,,????'?? said Allen Martindale, director of marketing at Al?EUR??,,????'???s Garden Art. ?EUR??,,????'??He contacted us to do a statue because he wanted something done that looked a little more professional.?EUR??,,????'??

Martindale said a sculptor at Al?EUR??,,????'???s Garden Art has a brother who is a firefighter. A picture of this firefighter in full gear was used as the model for the statue. The finished product is a four-foot tall, 168-pound figurine that has drawn raves from firefighters.

?EUR??,,????'??They love it,?EUR??,,????'?? Martindale said. ?EUR??,,????'??It is a very nice statue.?EUR??,,????'??

Martindale said the statues were not designed as a moneymaking vehicle for Al?EUR??,,????'???s Garden Art.

?EUR??,,????'??We looked at it this way, we could be a company that?EUR??,,????'???s jumping on the bandwagon (post 9-11), or take the high road and donate the statues to firemen,?EUR??,,????'?? he said. ?EUR??,,????'??We consider donating these statues as the high road.?EUR??,,????'??

During the 2002 California Association of Nurserymen Western Nursery and Garden Expo, two of the statues were presented to the Clark County Fire Department, Station 18, and the Las Vegas Convention Visitors Authority Office of Fire Protection and Safety by the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers and Al?EUR??,,????'???s Garden Art.

?EUR??,,????'??The guys with the Clark County Fire Department were very excited and honored to receive the statue,?EUR??,,????'?? Martindale said.

In addition to the Las Vegas presentations, Martindale said approximately 100 statues have been donated to fire departments across the country, including Washington State and California.

?EUR??,,????'??We donated a statue to the fire department in San Bernardino (California), and they raffled it off during their firemen?EUR??,,????'???s ball,?EUR??,,????'?? he said. ?EUR??,,????'??This turned out to be one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.?EUR??,,????'??

Martindale said more statues will be donated to fire departments, who would then use them as fundraising tools.

?EUR??,,????'??We would like to see the proceeds from these sales used for a charity that aids burn victims, for example,?EUR??,,????'?? he said. ?EUR??,,????'??The idea is not to make money on these items, instead, we want to help people.?EUR??,,????'??

Martindale added that one criteria exists for fire departments that choose to keep their statue.

?EUR??,,????'??It needs to be displayed at the fire house, that?EUR??,,????'???s the only stipulation,?EUR??,,????'?? he said.