EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Township Supervisor Frank Miles loves his park's featured item, the U.S. Navy A-7E Cosair II aircraft.
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Miles is not alone, the airplane at Edwardsville Township Park is a landmark known by everyone in the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area.
An effort led by Miles and the Edwardsville Township supervisor office is underway to revitalize the plane called “Mission Preservation – The Campaign to Restore the Plane.”
The airplane is located at 6368 Center Grove Road in Edwardsville. The plane in the park is a U.S. Navy A-7E Cosair II aircraft. It has been on display for 25 years this summer and Miles said preserves an important piece of Naval Aviation history in honor of the men and women who serve our country.
A dine out fund-raising event is set from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Peel, Sugo’s Spaghetteria and St. Louis Bread Co. in Edwardsville. The restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds from that night.
The airplane restoration fund-raising kicked off in earnest after the first of 2016, Miles said.
“We have sought bids on painting the plane and we also have sought bids on wrapping the plane, which is a newer type of technology,” Miles said. “I foresee three parts to the fund-raising effort. One part is potential corporate sponsorship and donations. The other part is doing fund-raising through civic organizations and citizens. A Kickstarter type of Internet fund-raising effort is a third piece of it.”
The Edwardsville Township Park’s Boundless Playground received a Governor’s Hometown Award this past year and now features all-season solar powered restrooms and renovated playground and tennis court areas.
Donations can be sent to Mission Preservation Fundraiser, c/o Greater Edwardsville Area Community Foundation (GEAFC), P.O. Box 102, Edwardsville, IL., 62025.
For corporate donations or personal donations over $500, contact the Edwardsville Township office directly to coordinate at 618-656-0292. E-mail jwojcieszak@edwardsvilletownship.com for more information.
Miles said the airplane in the Township Park is synonymous with it.
“People call it Airplane Park,” he said. “This summer will be the 25th anniversary of that plane. On the website, we have a section of pictures of the day the plane was brought in by a helicopter. Cong, Costello, Robert Stille and various citizens and local officials were here to greet it. My hope is to get the plane ready by its anniversary and have a community celebration.”
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