close

More donate time, materials toward Eco Park structure

2 min read

A pavilion honoring veterans at Eco Park in Cape Coral is nearing completion with some help from local businesses.
Fort Myers-based Perfect Pavers plans on donating labor, and Brooksville-based Flagstone Pavers is donating all of the materials.
Perfect Pavers Senior Superintendent Joe Phipps said he contacted Veterans Midpoint Memorial Trust President Gary Bowler to see how the company could help out.
Even though Perfect Pavers is located in Fort Myers, Phipps is a Cape Coral resident.
“He (Gary Bowler) told us what was going on and we were definitely interested in helping out as much as we could,” he said. “My grandpa is a vet, so I’ve got strong feelings about it. We wanted to give back to the community as a company.”
Bowler said Perfect Pavers’ work should be completed by next week.
After the paving is done, Bowler said the majority of the work will be complete, and the pavilion should be open after the first of the year.
“We’re going to wait to the first part of the year, when everyone is here, and then we’re going to have a real dedication,” he said.
Ringland Construction, acting as the general contractor, has donated more than $40,000 in materials along with its subcontractors.
Among the other companies donating time and materials are Cape Cement, Youngquist, Sanchez Trucking, CL Noonan and Hargrove Site Improvement.
Yet even with all the donated time and materials, Bowler said the Veterans Memorial Trust could still use monetary donations to help offset total costs.
As a registered 501(c)3, all donations to the Veteran’s Memorial Trust are tax deductible.
Once completed, the pavilion will honor past and present veterans, giving everyone a place to reflect upon the sacrifices made by generations of enlisted men and women.
Bowler said all branches of the Armed Forces are welcome.
“It’s like a neutral place of honor, anyone can go there,” he said. “It’ll feel like it’s got some reverence.”