April 8, 2008

New railroad crossing dedicated

       Shiny new cross arms lowered toward the road as lights flashed and a bell sounded.  Hundreds cheered.  About 300 people came to a memorial and dedication ceremony marking the installation of cross arms and flashing lights at the first of three Center Grove area railroad crossings.  They came on bikes, with children in strollers and in a sea of white and tie-dyed T-shirts emblazoned with Arms of Life, the logo of the community group that worked for more than a year to raise money needed to pay for the crossings.  They applauded a demonstration of how the newly installed upgrades on Stones Crossing Road will stop cars from crossing into the path of a train.

         Stones Crossing Road, the site of a Feb. 3, 2007, vehicle-train accident (see story HERE) that killed Travis Findley, 9, and Jake Findley 12, will be safer for thousands of motorists, community group members said.  "The arms on this crossing guard will forever be a memorial not just to lives lost but lives saved," said Chris Philbeck, pastor at Mount Pleasant Christian Church, where the boys and their family were members.  The ceremony Monday was a dedication to the two brothers and a celebration of more than a year of work by the community group that raised $625,000 to upgrade crossings on Stones Crossing, Smokey Row and Olive Branch roads and to educate drivers about railroad crossing safety.  Between tears from community members and friends and family of the boys, cheers and laughter arose from children as they blew bubbles into the air. And hundreds watched as doves circled the sky, released to symbolize the spirits of Jake and Travis and the Holy Trinity.

         The boys' parents, Chuck and Becky Findley, members of the community group and state and county officials thanked the community for its work to help raise the money.  "There aren't any words that express what I feel, and 'thanks' isn't adequate," Becky Findley said.  The work done in the past year has been a testament to the community, county council member Josh McCarty said.  "The government can't help and change all of our problems alone. It takes a collaborative effort," McCarty said.  He and others hope the partnership among community members, government and businesses will show other communities a way to accomplish their goals.  "We hope this is an example for Indiana. We hope this is an example for others states," said Brady Clements, a founding member of the community group.  He and other group members thanked the donors, from the large companies to the children who raised money in penny wars at school and by going door-to-door.

         Some fundraisers are planned this summer, and the group hopes to continue raising money to upgrade a fourth crossing.  But the group also wants to focus efforts on education, Clements said.  He wants young drivers to always hear the words "stop, look and listen" when they approach a railroad crossing, he said.  The ceremony and crossing upgrades also provide some closure for Chuck and Becky Findley, although their life will never return to normal, Chuck Findley said.  "Maybe it's a final part of the process, so maybe we can get back to a more normal life," he said.  (Story reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal. Photos by Jackie Emmons and the Daily Journal)

 

           
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