Freedoms Foundation Grounds Need Major Work
More than 50 years ago, a 52-acre grove behind the Freedoms Foundation headquarters in Valley Forge, Pa. was set up to honor those given this nation's highest award for valor in combat.
KYW's David Madden reports that today that grove is in serious need of repair and maintenance that the foundation says, right now, they can't afford.
Weeds overrun the place. Basic maintenance of many monuments -- there's one for every state in the nation as well as DC and Puerto Rico -- has gone undone.
Foundation CEO Michael diYeso:
"We, being the board and I feel that the condition of the grove is not acceptable."
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But the recession has hit nonprofits like his hard. They've mortgaged the property just to get an emergency line of credit.
Local state senator Andy Dinniman is organizing a volunteer cleanup but wants assurances the Foundation won't sell the site off to developers.
diYeso won't promise the grove will be totally preserved, but vows there'll be a grove, although they could really use some financial help now. A complete fix-up would cost $500,000.
(Photos by KYW's David Madden)
