A tribute to Maple Lake firefighters was installed on August 18 on Oak Avenue next to the Maple Lake Fire Hall.
Fire Chief Todd Borell said the monument was initiated as a result of donations from the families of the late Russ Baker and Clarence Jude, along with a donation made in the name of the late father of Maple Lake firefighter John Erger.
The monument consists of a large granite stone featuring the Maple Lake Fire Department emblem and the words “In honor of past, present and future fighters.” Borell said the stone was acquired with the assistance of Mike Messina and Dingmann Funeral Care. The statue of a firefighter that stands next to the stone was purchased separately from a business in Motley and painted with the colors of the Maple Lake Fire Department.
Borell said that eventually, landscaping will be done around the monument by fire department volunteers.