REWARD FOR VALOR by Vel Miller

In 1998 the City of Paso Robles, proposed the construction of a new Safety Center. The final plans included a center housing the police and fire departments for the city, a square block in size. The Chief of Police envisioned a sculpture and memorial wall at the entrance to the building. The sculpture was to honor those dedicated fire and police personal who put their lives on the line each day. The wall was to remember those of the Central Coast who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The idea was given to several artists so that they might present their proposal for the sculpture.

I had heard about the project but was too committed at the time to apply. Sometime later, with a little break in my schedule, I asked if anyone had been chosen, when no one had, I presented a sketch of my idea. The sketch was accepted and the project started. My husband Warren is a retired, Los Angeles City Fireman, so there was a special feeling for me in doing the monument. Our grandson Spencer Drayton was the model for the child. There were many delays in the beginning, getting the private funds gathered and the city finishing the building. September 11th disaster, and later the Paso Robles Earth Quake took place during the modeling and molding processes. These things all set the schedule back a bit. The eight foot heroic size three-figures in clay were created in a loft above the foundry. I froze in the winter, and then worried about the clay melting with the heat from the foundry and the roof only a few inches above the clay in the summer. All in all though, it was a wonderful and rewarding experience.

The Safety Center and the Sculpture was dedicated on January 14th2005. The dedication was attended by almost 800 guests, many of whom had helped fund the Monument. White doves flew, Bagpipers piped, and uniformed officers from all the branches of the police, fire, rescue, sheriffs etc. participated. The dedication was given by the honorable William P. Clark, former judge and Secretary of the Interior Department, and also the National Security Advisor, in President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Acknowledgements were also given by Police Chief Dennis Cassidy and Fire Chief Ken Johnson. I was honored by being given a standing ovation when the Sculpture was unveiled.

The monument depicts a Fireman who has rescued a child handing him to a Police woman officer. It represents the dedication and the reward for service well preformed. Thus REWARD FOR VALOR. The sculpture stands at Park & Tenth Street in Paso Robles, Ca. in front of the Police side of the Safety Center. I invite you to stop by to see the sculpture if you are in the area. There is also a nine inch bronze study and an eighteen inch sculpture that we used as the model for the eight-foot monument. There are molds if you are interested in a similar sculpture for you or your city.