CCC NATIONAL NEWS:

13 CCC Worker statues now dedicated around the country. Check out the list below to see if there is one near you.

STATUE NO. 1 North Higgins State Park, Roscommon, MI , June 3, 1995. Total cost $35,000. Contributions by many loyal CCC veterans. Representing Chapters 29, 58, 129, 144, 161 & 163. Cost included manufacture of mold to be used for other statues. Corporations contributed a portion.

STATUE NO. 2 located at NACCCA headquarters, St. Louis, MO April 14, 1996. Cost was $20,000 paid by donations and NACCCA funds approved by membership.

STATUE NO. 3 School of Conservation, Branchville, NJ, November 4, 1996. Paid by private funds of Henry Billitz, CCC veteran, living in St. Augustine, FL. Henry served in CCC Company No. 1266, S-71, in 1941. This company and one other , CCC Company 218, S-51, were the base for creation of the School of Conservation, Division of Montclair University. John J. Kirk, Director of SOC stated on dedication: "These men participated in the worlds most famous conservation program. America will never be able to repay them. All that is great and good about conservation we owe to the CCC".

STATUE NO. 4 Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring FL., dedicated August 2, 1997. The fourth CCC worker statue was donated by Henry Billitz in honor of his brother, Emil Billitz who suffered complete paralysis as the result of a truck accident while serving in the CCC. Through hard work and therapy he regained the use of his upper body. The statue is also dedicated to the 2,876 men who lost their lives while working for the CCC between 1933 and 1942. Henry Billitz also donated another CCC Worker Statue at New Jersey School of Conservation, Branchville, NJ.

STATUE NO. 5 Located in Watoga State Park Marlington, West Virginia dedicated June 5, 1999 and paid by private funds, Denver Dial, Director.

STATUE NO. 6 Located in Leonard Harrison State Park, Tioga County, Pa.. dedicated on August 14, 1999. Paid by Richard H. Murtland of Plano, TX., son of Richard G. Murtland, a former CCC member who served in Darling Run Camp, 1937 to 1939.

STATUE NO. 7 Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain, GA., dedicated September 18, 1999. Paid by private funds contributed by CCC members who served in area camps and some state funds. This statue was dedicated by U.S. Senator Max Cleland of Georgia, whose father Hugh, a CCC veteran, was present for the dedication. In his outstanding speech, Senator Cleland referred to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous "Rendezvous with Destiny" speech given in 1936. "Some generations," Roosevelt said, "much is given; some generations much is required. This generation has a rendezvous with destiny." The Senator continued, "And you met that destiny. You met it in wonderful, classic, heroic form. And that's why those of us who come in after you sit in awe of your generation and your contribution, of what you did with so little and gave back so much.---particularly in the CCC, That's why we have a historical marker here today in this FDR Park."

STATUE NO. 8 Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area(CVNRA), NPS, Peninsula, OH, dedicated September 8, 2000. Paid by R. Bruce Budinger, son-in-law of former CCC member Charles Varro, who served in CO 318 (F-1) Allegheny National Forest, Marienville, Pa from 1939 to 1941. The statue is installed at the Happy Days Visitor Center, built by the CCC in 1939. The CVNRA was dedicated in December 1974.

STATUE NO. 9 Dedicated September 23, 2000, in Cascade Park, New Castle, Pa. Funding from the State of Pennsylvania, City of New Castle and private sources, including Wal-Mart. The project was coordinated by Angelo Nocera, President of NACCCA Chapter 125, and other members of the Chapter.

STATUE NO. 10 Dedicated April 24, 2001 in Capitol Public Plaza, Augusta, Maine. The project was coordinated by Phil Gouzie, President of NACCCA Chapter 111, with the assistance of State Representative Robert W. Duplessie of Maine.

STATUE NO. 11 Dedicated June 3, 2001 in Forest Preserve District, Willow Springs, Illinois by Chapter 77.

STATUE NO. 12 To be dedicated September 29, 2001 in Bear Brook State Park, Allenstown, New Hampshire by NACCCA Chapter 107, coordinated by Dick Violette Chapter Secretary.

STATUE NO. 13 To be dedicated in Ocenee State Park, Walhalla, South Carolina.

STATUE NO. 37 CCC Worker Statue #37 Dedicated in Minnesota. CCC Alums, Herb Amundson, age 92 and Ernest Manthey, age 82, recently funded the purchase of a six foot CCC Worker Statue and pedestal in memory of the important effect the CCC had on their lives.  It has been placed and dedicated in the War Room just inside the entrance to the Willmar Auditorium at the Flags of Honor Park, north of Highway 71 in Willmar, Minnesota. Another statue is anticipated to also be placed in Minnesota in the near future.

For information and assistance in placing a statue contact: Rev. Bill Fraser, chariman Statue Project, P.O. Box 342, Grayling, Mi 49738. email: fraser@freeway.net

 National New Deal Preservation Association (NNDPA) hopes to obtain CCC Worker Statues for remaining states without statues.
 
Kathryn Flynn, Exec. Director of the NNDPA, has contacted the son of a CCC Worker, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico), requesting his help in obtaining through the U.S. Senate funding to purchase 22 more CCC Worker Statues for the states where none exist at this time. The organization is requesting everyone's help in supporting this request by contacting your senators in Washington to help Bingaman make this a reality.  The states where there currently are no life size statues include: AL, AK, AZ, CA, CT, DE, HI, IA, IN, MD, MS, NB, NV, NM, NV, OK, RI, SD, TN, UT, VT, WY, and DC.  If you live in one of those states, please contact your senators and ask him to help Sen. Bingaman. His office number in Washington, DC is 202) 224-1792. If you live in others states but would like to support this, please contact your senators also for their assistance on this project.  For more information about this, contact Kathy Flynn at newdeal@cybermesa.com or call 505) 473-3985 or cell 690-5845.

Mini CCC Workers Statues are now also available.
 
NACCCA Chapter 129 OF Grayling, Michigan has since 1995 championed the effort to bring recognition to CCC built landmarks by encouraging the placement of the six foot CCC Worker statues.  Now they are making available a new fundraising program for NACCCA which includes the sale of a tabletop commemorative statue that is only nine (9) inches tall including its base.  It does not feature the same "worker figure" having been crafted in the likeness of John L. Selesky. This young figure is carrying a shovel­(not leaning on it) and costs $100.  The statues can be personalized with a brass plaque and may be ordered thru John L. Selesky at P.O. Box 507, Rose City, Michigan 48654. Telephone/fax: 989-695-2308.