LAUREL— As Fred Graff Elementary School faces demolition, one former student is rescuing bricks to build a lasting memorial.
Chelsea Hein has collected 600 bricks so far.
Watch to see how Hein will use the bricks:
“I thought what a loss it would be to have this school demolished and have nothing left of it,” Hein said.
Hein has been collecting bricks from the school after work and removing the old mortar to prepare them for the construction process.
The project has been a challenge with her busy schedule as a nurse.
“Working in the OR, my shifts run about 10 hours, sometimes longer. So, getting off working, coming out here, working till dark, was sometimes really tiring, but it was really rewarding too,” she said.
Hein attended the school from 1996 to 2002. She has fond memories of her time there, especially with teachers Mrs. Mandeville and Mr. Nauman.
“That is where I actually had my favorite teachers, people that just changed me so profoundly. I still remember them, and I luckily ran into both of my favorite teachers during the Goodbye to Graff event that happened earlier this summer,” she said.
Hein said she needs help to complete the memorial. She's raising $50,000 to pay for the construction.
If someone donates $50, they will receive a brick with their name on a nameplate in the memorial.
“We would love to see the community support. I know that many of us from Laurel have moved to the Billings area so anyone can come and donate,” she said.
You can find the online fundraiser through this link.
