Teens Host Car Wash in Honor of 9/11 Firefighter

Several local teens are dedicating their time and energy to various service projects, one of which honors a Carmel resident who died in 9/11.

That specific project began to materialize Saturday with a car wash at . Amy Rivera, 14, organized the event with a few of her friends and fellow Girl Scouts to raise money for a Putnam County Land Trust project that had grown stagnant because of a lack of funding.

The $250 in profits raised at Rivera's car wash will go toward the purchase and placement of a bench, plaque and interpretive sign at the Glenda Farrell-Henry Ross Preserve — part of the Trust — in memory of deceased Carmel resident and New York City firefighter Thomas Kuveikis.

Kuveikis, a 24-year veteran of the New York Fire Department and a member of Squad 252 in Bushwick, died while saving others at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Friends and family described him as a "fine carpenter" and a "fine cook," according to this New York Times portrait. Another online memorial notes his habit of volunteering with the Trust each year.

Rivera, like Kuveikis, loves being outdoors. As a Girl Scout Cadette working toward the Silver Award, which calls for an initiative that will affect the community, this endeavour sparked her interest.

“I called up the Putnam [County] Land Trust to see what they needed help with, and they said that this memorial has been in the works for years,” she said.

Rivera started the planning phase of her project, which will likely cost around $750 when all is said and done, in May. She plans to hold a second car wash next month, and expects that it will go well too, considering how much she learned about organizing and scheduling through this first fundraiser.

“I feel so grateful for the people who helped me,” she said.

Rivera’s father, Lucio Rivera, is proud of what his daughter accomplished.

“She is working for a good cause, and everybody works together," he said. "The Girl Scouts support each other with their projects."

Additional projects from Troop 2827 include the creation of a yearbook for Green Chimneys School by Cadette Charlotte Hester, 13. She is now working on establishing a committee to continue the project. Another Girl Scout gave swimming lessons for a number of mornings every week and a third sells crafts outside of Animal Kingdom to raise money for the Putnam Humane Society.

“They are working on something in the community that will have sustainability,” troop leader Susan Schneider of Brewster said.

The dedication ceremony for Kuveikis will be held Sept. 28. To donate, contact troop leader Susan Schneider at (845) 279-1312 or tangoinc@comcast.net.