‘It’s in the heart of Amarillo’: First Responder Memorial kick starting fundraising to build memorial

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The Friends of AJ Swope began fundraising this month for the First Responder Memorial.

“We want people to get excited and become involved in making this happen,” says Gary Pitner, board member, Friends of AJ Swope.

The First Responder Memorial project recently received a $20,000 gift from Coffee Memorial Blood Center, kick starting it’s fundraising efforts this month.

“These people have given their lives in the line of duty,” says Misti Newsom, donor recruitment and events manager, Coffee Memorial Blood Center. “What heroes they are. We actually do not have a memorial here in the Texas Panhandle, so we were 100 percent bought in at that point.”

The walls of the memorial will hold the names of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians representing all 26 counties in the Texas Panhandle.

“This memorial is intended to provide a single place where we can honor those 89 men and women who have given their lives in service of those of us who live in the Panhandle,” says Pitner.

The stand alone memorial will be on 11th Avenue and Polk Street where a pocket park currently stands, the green space will be redesigned to include a water feature and a lighting system.

“It’s in the heart of Amarillo which is the heart of the Texas Panhandle,” says Pitner.

Fundraising is expected to take until 2023, and groundbreaking won’t happen until late 2023 or early 2024.

“We can get it built and people can come out and say hello to their loved ones and know that their loved ones are being honored there,” says Newsom.

The project goal for the First Responder Memorial is $1.2 million.

If you would like to donate or learn more about the memorial plans click here.

Copyright 2022 KFDA. All rights reserved.