OP's Legacy Lives On Through Keepsake
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Now, as a way to remember to him, the van has been turned into about 700 keepsakes that will be sold next week for $10 each. They will be offered to Warsaw Community High School, Edgewood Middle School and Lakeview Middle School students first. Any leftovers will be sold at local stores, to be announced later.
Half of the proceeds will benefit the local DARE program, the other half will benefit Terry's scholarship fund.
"OP was about kids," said Randy Polston, Terry's brother. "OP was about community. When he passed, that message was quite clear with the messages on the van."
Terry died Dec. 2, 2008, after a six-year battle with cancer. The van Terry used as a Warsaw Police Dept. DARE officer was parked at the police station after his death so the community could leave messages about Terry. In 2009, the van was handed over to the Polston family.
Randy said when his family got the van back, his commitment was to give the van back to the community and the kids Terry touched. Numerous people gave Randy ideas on how to do that, but an idea from a senior citizen, who also is a veteran, suggested the idea of melting the van down and sharing it with the kids to purchase.
Randy talked with the rest of his family about the suggestion. The family decided if they could melt the van down to create keepsakes, they would do it.
"I had no idea where to start," said Randy.
Surfing the Internet, Randy checked out Dalton Corp.'s Web site. He sent an e-mail to the Warsaw business, saying he had no idea where to start but explained what he was looking to do.
The following Monday, Steve Shaffer from Dalton Corp. sent Randy a reply. Shaffer told Randy that his brother had touched his family, and Shaffer jumped on board to help. The first step, he told Randy, was to get the van shredded down. Randy contacted Mike Lewis at Lewis Salvage.
"He was more than accommodating," Randy said. "Everyone who I called with this project jumped on board."
Discussion turned to what to do with the van once it was shredded and melted down. The first thought was to make coins out of it, but the longer the talks went on, it was decided to make the keepsakes bigger. Shaffer, Lewis, Randy and Paul Barker continued talking about it. Through Barker's input, the group decided to go in the direction of the memento they ended up with, which weighs 3 pounds and looks like a bookend.
As for what would be on the keepsake, it was decided the DARE emblem would be in the center. The DARE organization signed off on that immediately. It also includes his birth and death years, name and the statement "A Legacy of Love". The whole process took several months, but Shaffer and Barker kept Randy posted on the design and work.
Finally, Randy got a call from Dalton Corp. that they were ready when he was. The week of April 12, the van was taken to Lewis Salvage to be shredded.
Randy said Lewis called him up after the van was shredded. He told Randy that before shredding the van, normally everything out of the van would be taken out. However, after reading all the messages about Terry written on the van, Lewis told Randy he decided to leave everything intact because he couldn't bring himself to take anything out.
"That touched me as well when he said that," said Randy.
Shaffer contacted Dave Schmidt, president of Columbia City Engineering, about melting the van down. Dalton decided Columbia City Engineering would be able to melt the van down easier than they could. Lewis delivered the shredded van to Columbia City last week.
Monday, Schmidt told Randy the melting down of the van would begin and the liquid would be put into molds. The van turned into liquid at 2,650 degrees.
Randy visited the foundry. While the workers didn't know Terry, they told Randy they had heard all about his good works. The workers at the foundry touched his heart.
One last step was needed before the mementos could be sold. Randy needed to find someone to spray clear coat on them to prevent rusting. Randy contacted the body shop at Petro Brothers. Sam Shaw said they would absolutely be willing to help. The clear coat spraying was to begin Friday. Lewis delivered all 700 pieces to Petro Brothers.
"You can see how the community has come together to make this happen for the kids in this community," said Randy.
When the community began hearing about what Randy was doing, he began receiving requests for them. One person even told Randy they wanted to buy 10 of them.
Once the keepsakes are done, Randy said he will offer them first to the students at the high school and middle schools because those are the students his brother worked with directly. There will be no limit how many each person can buy, so they will be available while supplies last.
"If they all sell out at the high school and middle schools, that's absolutely fine with me. That's what Terry would have wanted," said Randy.[[In-content Ad]]Dalton Corp. plans to give Randy the mold of the memento so more can be made in the future if the family wishes. However, they would not be made from Terry's van.
Randy said his family has been very appreciative of the community and the businesses who have supported them and this project.
"They want to give back to Terry and these kids Terry had touched," Randy said.
More than a year after his death, the community hasn't forgotten Terry, Randy said. Randy visits Terry's Facebook page every once in awhile, and kids are still leaving messages for Terry on the page.
"He's missed," said Randy. "The kids will never forget him."
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Now, as a way to remember to him, the van has been turned into about 700 keepsakes that will be sold next week for $10 each. They will be offered to Warsaw Community High School, Edgewood Middle School and Lakeview Middle School students first. Any leftovers will be sold at local stores, to be announced later.
Half of the proceeds will benefit the local DARE program, the other half will benefit Terry's scholarship fund.
"OP was about kids," said Randy Polston, Terry's brother. "OP was about community. When he passed, that message was quite clear with the messages on the van."
Terry died Dec. 2, 2008, after a six-year battle with cancer. The van Terry used as a Warsaw Police Dept. DARE officer was parked at the police station after his death so the community could leave messages about Terry. In 2009, the van was handed over to the Polston family.
Randy said when his family got the van back, his commitment was to give the van back to the community and the kids Terry touched. Numerous people gave Randy ideas on how to do that, but an idea from a senior citizen, who also is a veteran, suggested the idea of melting the van down and sharing it with the kids to purchase.
Randy talked with the rest of his family about the suggestion. The family decided if they could melt the van down to create keepsakes, they would do it.
"I had no idea where to start," said Randy.
Surfing the Internet, Randy checked out Dalton Corp.'s Web site. He sent an e-mail to the Warsaw business, saying he had no idea where to start but explained what he was looking to do.
The following Monday, Steve Shaffer from Dalton Corp. sent Randy a reply. Shaffer told Randy that his brother had touched his family, and Shaffer jumped on board to help. The first step, he told Randy, was to get the van shredded down. Randy contacted Mike Lewis at Lewis Salvage.
"He was more than accommodating," Randy said. "Everyone who I called with this project jumped on board."
Discussion turned to what to do with the van once it was shredded and melted down. The first thought was to make coins out of it, but the longer the talks went on, it was decided to make the keepsakes bigger. Shaffer, Lewis, Randy and Paul Barker continued talking about it. Through Barker's input, the group decided to go in the direction of the memento they ended up with, which weighs 3 pounds and looks like a bookend.
As for what would be on the keepsake, it was decided the DARE emblem would be in the center. The DARE organization signed off on that immediately. It also includes his birth and death years, name and the statement "A Legacy of Love". The whole process took several months, but Shaffer and Barker kept Randy posted on the design and work.
Finally, Randy got a call from Dalton Corp. that they were ready when he was. The week of April 12, the van was taken to Lewis Salvage to be shredded.
Randy said Lewis called him up after the van was shredded. He told Randy that before shredding the van, normally everything out of the van would be taken out. However, after reading all the messages about Terry written on the van, Lewis told Randy he decided to leave everything intact because he couldn't bring himself to take anything out.
"That touched me as well when he said that," said Randy.
Shaffer contacted Dave Schmidt, president of Columbia City Engineering, about melting the van down. Dalton decided Columbia City Engineering would be able to melt the van down easier than they could. Lewis delivered the shredded van to Columbia City last week.
Monday, Schmidt told Randy the melting down of the van would begin and the liquid would be put into molds. The van turned into liquid at 2,650 degrees.
Randy visited the foundry. While the workers didn't know Terry, they told Randy they had heard all about his good works. The workers at the foundry touched his heart.
One last step was needed before the mementos could be sold. Randy needed to find someone to spray clear coat on them to prevent rusting. Randy contacted the body shop at Petro Brothers. Sam Shaw said they would absolutely be willing to help. The clear coat spraying was to begin Friday. Lewis delivered all 700 pieces to Petro Brothers.
"You can see how the community has come together to make this happen for the kids in this community," said Randy.
When the community began hearing about what Randy was doing, he began receiving requests for them. One person even told Randy they wanted to buy 10 of them.
Once the keepsakes are done, Randy said he will offer them first to the students at the high school and middle schools because those are the students his brother worked with directly. There will be no limit how many each person can buy, so they will be available while supplies last.
"If they all sell out at the high school and middle schools, that's absolutely fine with me. That's what Terry would have wanted," said Randy.[[In-content Ad]]Dalton Corp. plans to give Randy the mold of the memento so more can be made in the future if the family wishes. However, they would not be made from Terry's van.
Randy said his family has been very appreciative of the community and the businesses who have supported them and this project.
"They want to give back to Terry and these kids Terry had touched," Randy said.
More than a year after his death, the community hasn't forgotten Terry, Randy said. Randy visits Terry's Facebook page every once in awhile, and kids are still leaving messages for Terry on the page.
"He's missed," said Randy. "The kids will never forget him."
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