Committee and donors covered fundraising; county stepped in to complete statue project

Al Martin, chair of the statue committee, described the project's fundraising timeline and partners. "We started the fundraising project in the fall of 2024, and then by summer of 25, the month had this finished," Martin said, adding that when private fundraising lagged the county commissioners stepped forward to fully fund the project.

Martin said the committee used the Washington County Community Foundation as a fiscal sponsor to avoid setting up a separate nonprofit; he told the crowd that "100% of the funds raised through contributions have gone towards specifically this project." He also thanked private donors and organizations listed on the dedication plaque for gifts of more than $1,000. No exact total fundraising amount or county appropriation was specified in the remarks.