Memorial Project Update
Updated: Apr 20
Hello,
I’d like to start this letter by saying THANK YOU to all of our donors and supporters!
This message is long overdue, and I personally want to apologize for that.
Since the start of this memorial project in 2016, over 100 of you, our supporters, have helped to get us to this point in the creation of a memorial to honor La Habra Police Officer Michael A. Osornio and all First Responders who have sacrificed their lives to protect us and the communities where we live.
We have gone from an idea to an artist's concept drawing, to meeting with the sculptor who started the design phase of a statue modeled after a La Habra Police Officer Honor Guard. We formally signed contracts with Builders Consulting Services, Ocula Corporation (artist), and Stan Smith Associates (landscape architect) in November of 2019.
But we have had a difficult road in getting to this point. We have had to deal with the pitfalls of the Covid pandemic and other stumbling blocks over the past couple of years. Fundraising efforts and the formation of a memorial project committee halted for nearly two years as a result of restrictions. Despite disruptions, we were finally able to obtain architectural blueprints and a color landscape/site rendering which are needed to present to the City of La Habra for the approval process.
On May 5, 2022, The Foundation met with the City Manager and Chief Foster to discuss the progress made so far and to lay out the next steps in completing the project. The next steps in this process are:
Consensus of proposed design from involved parties (Foundation, City of La Habra, La Habra Police Chief, and the La Habra Police Association.)
Once all agree and are SUPPORTIVE of the project, the Foundation can proceed with the City review process.
Once the project has gone through the above steps, the Foundation will be able to present the project to the La Habra City Council for approval.
Continue capital campaign for project funding.
Please keep in mind the above steps are a very condensed outline of this process.
One key thing that came up during the meeting with the City Manager and the Chief, was a legitimate question regarding support of the project. So much time has passed since the initial announcement and fundraising efforts, that we need to obtain a measurement of support/interest for the project.
SUPPORT is key and vital to the success of this project. The Osornio Family has been aware of this project from the beginning and some family members have financially contributed.
On May 20, 2022, Foundation board members met with board members from the La Habra Police Association to discuss the support of the project. Key points discussed were:
Obtaining a measurable level of interest in the project from the members of the Association.
LHPMF providing updated cost figures.
Setting up a meeting with LHPA membership to vote on their interest in the project.
Foundation board members being invited to LHPA meeting(s) to provide updates on the project.
Again, we cannot express our thanks enough for your support and interest in the memorial project.
Sincerely,
Craig Hentcy
President