The “gateway to Apison” is gone, and Bill Hullander wants to bring it back. But that won’t necessarily be easy.
The Apison Tornado Memorial and flagpole, which were destroyed in an early-morning car crash by an alleged drunk driver in June, will likely not see any driver’s insurance funds to aid in its repair needs – which are extensive, Hullander said.
With the help of the community, he and others on a committee determined to build a new memorial have raised $8,000. They hope to bring peace to the residents who remember that fateful April day, especially the families of those who lost their lives in the storms, who were memorialized on the monument, he said.
By Hullander’s estimation, double what has been raised so far is needed.
“It means a lot to everyone in Apison, especially those who lost one of the 15 people that day,” he said. “We would like to see a new monument with a bench back there to just be a quiet place for people to go visit [in memory of] the loved ones lost.”
Anyone interested in donating to the fund can do so by making a check payable to The Samaritan Center and specifying it is for the Apison memorial.
The Samaritan Center is located at 9231 Old Lee Highway.
Contact Gabrielle Chevalier at gchevalier@timesfreepress.com or 757-6439.