Teamsters Donate Labor, Material for Heroes of Freedom Tribute

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Members of Teamsters Local 301 have offered time, labor and love to build a Heroes of Freedom Memorial in Wauconda, Ill. to mark the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Teamsters from across northern Illinois came together with the Village of Wauconda to construct the monument, which honors those who died in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Local 301-represented employers including Ozinga Ready Mix, Berger Excavating, Waste Management and general contractors JJ Henderson & Sons each donated building materials and hours of labor to make the powerful memorial a reality.

The tribute, which features a 19-foot, 15,000-pound steel beam recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Center’s north tower, is located on downtown Main Street between Wauconda’s fire and police stations.

“It was an honor for Teamsters Local 301 to be involved in this special project, and a humbling endeavor for our members,” said Michael T. Haffner, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 301 in Waukegan. “The local union can’t thank our participating employers enough for the materials and time selflessly given to the Heroes of Freedom Memorial. These employers have shown just how much they care about their communities and their workers, and the entire Teamsters Union applauds their efforts.”

Local 301 members Greg Stephenson and Dave Fitzl were among the Teamsters who helped pour more than 15 yards of concrete donated by Ozinga for the memorial. The cement base below the prominent steel beam is in the shape of the Pentagon, while cement benches surrounding the memorial represent the four planes hijacked on Sept. 11.

Teamster members worked for weeks to complete construction, including installing bricks inscribed with names of donors along a walkway leading up to the tribute.

Haffner and other Local 301 representatives and members were on-hand as the tribute was officially unveiled this past September. The Heroes of Freedom Memorial will now stand as a beacon of healing and strength for future generations of Teamsters, soldiers and families throughout Illinois.

Teamsters Local 301 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, America’s premier labor union for Chicago, Illinois and northwest Indiana.