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In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors.
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Merced residents raise funds for Steven Stayner memorial
Friday August 15, 2003
MERCED, Calif. (AP) Some Merced residents are raising funds to
erect a memorial for Steven Stayner, a boy who was kidnapped from
his home as a child in 1972, but escaped eight years later.
A fund-raising committee was created after the City Council
voted against a proposal in April to name a local park after
Steven, the late brother of Cary Stayner, who was convicted of
murdering four women.
Some Merced residents objected naming the park after Steven
Stayner because of the connection to his brother. Steven died in a
motorcycle accident in 1989.
The City Council instead directed its staff to develop plans for
a memorial to Steven in another park.
The memorial would ``be an honor to Steven for his courage act
of saving himself and the little boy,'' committee member Elaine
Freeze said of Steven, who helped free Timmy White from their
kidnapper.
Fund-raising committee member Jeff Martinez said the committee
is considering a bronze sculpture, which is estimated between
$40,000 and $100,000.
The committee is also searching for new members and will seek
nonprofit status, committee member Carl Gregory said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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