Young mother, firefighters remembered with monument
JAY – With children’s laughter and some tears sounding in the background Tuesday, a monument honoring the memory of a young mother who died in a tragic fire and the firefighters who saved her son was unveiled Tuesday.
The site of the Church Street fire that claimed the life of LeAnne LeBlond in 1976 has been turned into a playground where children were playing Tuesday on new playground equipment.
Margaret LeBlond, her grandson Michael Kenney, who was 18-months-old when he was rescued from the fire at the apartment building where his mother, LeAnne, lost her life, and Livermore Fire Chief Randall Berry lifted the covering from the monument donated by Wiles Funeral Home during a ceremony Tuesday.
Members of the Healthy Community Coalition have worked with businesses, neighborhood families, civic organizations and the town of Jay to make the project a success. Chisholm families organized a campaign last year to establish the playground with the support of the coalition and health advocate Susan Gagnon. The committee raised more than $8,000 for the project. Last May, Jay contractor Thomas Goding supervised volunteers installing new colorful playground equipment.
During Tuesday’s dedication, speakers spoke highly of the establishment of a “safe place for children to play.”
Darcy White, a day-care provider in nearby Livermore Falls, said there was not a day that goes by, “rain or shine” that she’s not asked to take the children to the playground. Her son, Austin, 3, was too busy bouncing on the spring-aided motorcycle to hear what his mother had to say.
“I can do wheelies,” Austin said.
Livermore Falls Fire Department Chaplain James Leclerc read the “Fireman’s Prayer” and Louise Parker of Livermore Falls sang “Simple Gifts” during the dedication.
After the ceremony, Michael Kenney of Livermore Falls said he didn’t have many memories of the fatal fire but at least now there is something permanent at the site marking the memory of his mother. He named his little girl after his mother, he said.
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