A Massachusetts body shop is helping to create a memorial
for the victims of the 9-11 tragedy through the use of steel salvaged from
Ground Zero.
Jay Dolan, owner of International Collision Center,
offered to help come up with a way to preserve the steel so that it lasts
throughout the tough New England weather.
The memorial was the idea of the 9-11 Memorial Fund
Committee of Acton, Mass. The memorial will be placed in front of the Acton
Public Safety building and is set to be completed on Sept. 11, 2011 – the 10th
anniversary of 9-11.
According to the ActonPatch, the committee was trying to
decide how to preserve the original rust on the steel but ensure that it
doesn't continue to rust while it's on display. Dolan was enlisted to test
coats of paint/polyurethane to maintain the original rusty steel.
Dolan consulted with one of his business associates, and
the two tested a slew of different products, trying to find a clearcoat that
didn't look shiny so as not to compromise the original look of the steel.
"It's very moving," Dolan said about the
project. "Everybody who touches the steel or is around it gets moved by
it. I feel privileged that they've asked me to help out, even though my part in
the project is very minor."