Memorial in Towanda to slain sheriff's deputies to be dedicated on Saturday
Published: September 11, 2009
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TOWANDA - The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony Saturday for the memorial on the Bradford County Courthouse lawn to slain Bradford County Sheriff's Deputies Mike VanKuren and Chris Burgert.
Among those speaking at the ceremony will be Bradford County Commissioner John Sullivan, Bradford County Sheriff Steven Evans and Chuck Carver, who is the president and general manager of WATS/WAVR radio, said Bradford County Sheriff's Deputy Ken Foss.
In addition, Sheriff's Deputy David Hart will read a statement written for the ceremony by the father of New York State Trooper Andrew "A.J." Sperr, who was killed in the line of duty in Big Flats, N.Y., in 2006.
After the ceremony, refreshments will be served to the public.
The memorial includes a granite monument that is approximately six feet tall, a street clock, and flowers that were planted around the base of the clock.
Foss had previously said the memorial would cost approximately $30,000. The memorial has been paid for entirely through donations and money raised through fund-raisers, Foss said.
"The memorial belongs to the people" of Bradford County, because it was the citizens of the county who paid for it, he said.
"The county government had set some money aside" to help pay for the memorial, Foss said. "But we didn't need to use those funds."
The dedication ceremony is scheduled to start at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, after the motorcyclists in the Sixth Annual Fallen Heroes Ride return to Towanda, Foss said.
The motorcycle ride, which will travel for 80 miles through Bradford, Sullivan and Wyoming counties, is being held to raise funds for local charities in memory of Burgert and VanKuren, said Nick Hurley, general manager of Hurley's supermarkets.
A police escort and a Bradford County Sheriff's Department vehicle will lead the motorcycle ride, Foss said.
Registration for the ride will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Hurley's Warehouse, which is located at the intersection of Pine Street and the Merrill Parkway in Towanda.
The riders will have a continental breakfast at the warehouse prior to departing from that location at 10 a.m., Hurley said.
After the riders return from their ride to Towanda, they will be served lunch.
There will also be door prizes for the riders, and the ride will also include 50-50 raffles.
Burgert and VanKuren were murdered in the line of duty on March 31, 2004. Dustin Briggs, 32, of Gillett was sentenced to death for the killings.
Sperr's father had very much wanted to attend the dedication ceremony on Saturday, but will be unable to because he will be participating in a fund-raiser in New York state, Foss said.
James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or e-mail: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.
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