A tribute to those who lost their lives while protecting the lives of others will finally begin to see the light of day today with a groundbreaking ceremony for the First Responders Memorial Stone and Shelter project by the Butler AM Rotary at Alameda Park.

The memorial and pavilion will honor those in Butler County fire departments, emergency services and law enforcement who lost their lives in the line of duty.

"This is a project that touched the hearts of many in the club," said Lisa Campbell, a Rotary member and past club president.

It's not hard to see why. County firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other emergency first responders often are faced with scenarios in which their safety is at risk as they help others through perilous situations.

We're grateful for those who helped to bring this project to fruition.

The shelter will be twice the size of the 75-person Holly Shelter that it will replace in Alameda Park, and the memorial stone will list the names of those who lost their lives in the line of duty in Butler County.

A dedication ceremony will be held in October, hopefully on First Responders Day, Oct. 28, and will include participation from first responders and a ribbon-cutting.

It's important that we never forget those who sacrificed their own lives while helping others remain safe. We hope this monument provides some level of comfort to the families who lost a loved one in the line of duty by showing them that we remember and greatly appreciate that sacrifice.

We'd like to congratulate everyone from Butler AM Rotary members and county Commissioner Kevin Boozel to county police, emergency services and fire department leaders on the project's committee for getting the memorial stone and shelter off the ground and seeing it through.

What could be more important than ensuring the names of those who laid down their lives in the line of duty will never be forgotten by the grateful county they protected?

— JGG