DeKalb County firefighters raise funds for Sept. 11 memorial

It's hard to believe that a month from today, we'll be marking the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

The passage of time has put some distance between those actual events and our national psyche.

But Kyle Bosdell, a DeKalb County firefighter and co-owner of the restaurant in East Atlanta Village, wants to ensure that none of us ever forgets.

The Glenwood is hosting an Aug. 11 fundraiser, donating 100 percent of proceeds from food sales made through 9 p.m. to the DeKalb 9/11 Memorial Project. (After 9 p.m., 10 percent of all proceeds from food sales will go toward the fundraiser.)

The $30,000 project, a brainchild of fellow DeKalb firefighter Doug Harms and sculptor, Curtis J. Miller, centers around a piece of steel from the World Trade Center's North Tower Harms collected.

A former U.S. Marine, Miller's vision has a steel wing of the Phoenix rising from that metal piece taken from the World Trade Center.

It's meant to symbolize the American spirit of rising above and renewing the country's sense of resolve following the attacks.

When complete, the sculpture will be erected at DeKalb Fire and Police Headquarters; 1950/1960 West Exchange Place in Tucker.

"I was a firefighter when it happened in 2001. I watched everything on TV just like everybody else did," Bosdell, who had distant relatives killed in the Twin Towers attack, said Thursday.

"It's one of those days that you can pretty much mark your life by."

Thursday's fundraising efforts will be followed by an Aug. 26 event at Sugar Creek Golf Course, 2706 Bouldercrest Road, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The suggestion donation for that event, which includes a 9-hole golf scramble, is $75 per person, or $300 per team. For the wine and dinner, the suggested donation is $25 per person, $50 per couple.

If you'd like more information or wish to make a donation to the memorial fund, visit the website. You also can drop off donations to Bosdell in care of the DeKalb County 9/11 Memorial at the Glenwood, 1263 Glenwood Ave.