Save the date

MONROE — Organizers of the F86-L Korean War-era jet restoration effort have announced a "50+1 Rededication Day" of Saturday, Aug. 23.

David Roman, one of the organizers of the restoration effort, said he was hopeful as many area residents as possible would attend the 10 a.m. event at Airplane Park in the Village of Monroe.

The selected date represents "the 50th anniversary plus one year and one day" that the fighter jet was presented to the Village of Monroe by the U.S. Air Force to be used as a "static display."

A lesson in civics and community

The rededication day will symbolize many things, Roman said.

Among them, he said, is that the day will represent how a community can quickly mobilize itself in a grass roots effort and be successful.

It also represents how a government entity - the Village of Monroe - actually listens to its constituents and responds positively to, in this instance, keeping the jet from being returned to the Air Force, Roman said.

He also said it represents how a community can rally itself to raise funds and get business and individual support to follow through on plans, all in just a year's time.

And, he said, it also represents how a community and a local government value the service of the local men and women who served in the Korean War through the restoration of the jet.

Volunteer effort
Volunteers continue to work on weekends to finalize the airplane's body work, he said.

A Boy Scout Eagle project, led by Daniel Willis, will bring benches to the area.

The Monroe Girl Scout Service Unit raised funds through the sale of a limited edition "I Helped Save the F86-L Jet" patch and will create a permanent, perennial/annual garden. Sue Banville, of the service unit's leaders, is leading that effort.

American Legion Post 488 of Monroe and the Orange County Veterans group are in discussions with the restoration committee to provide flag poles.

"Team Depot," a group of employees from the Harriman Home Depot, will be volunteering their time to install fencing donated by Home Depot.

The Newburgh-based Orange County Choppers, the custom motorcycle manufacturer which had its own Discovery Channel show, have donated fabrication of parts no longer made.

And there's many other groups, Roman added, saying the list continues to grow.

'Bigger than all of us'
Until last fall, the jet sat in a state of disrepair in the rear of the Ford Dally Park, more commonly known as Airplane Park, where the jet has been parked for 51 years.

Generations of village residents and friends played on that plane, which initially featured a slide.

But last August, officials revealed that according to the terms of the agreement, the jet was loaned to the village to be used only for “static display” purposes in the park. So for the past half century, the jet was wrongly used as a play item.

"This is a lot bigger than all of us," Roman added. "We just want everyone to know the date for now and watch for more information."

- Nancy Kriz