CONTACT: Jay Purdy (717) 787-7895

HARRISBURG, December 03--State Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Allegheny, today said the annual Monument Challenge 5k Run/Walk will 'stand down' for 2002.

The April event, held in 2000 and 2001, has raised thousands of dollars for the Pennsylvania Gettysburg Monuments Project, a campaign spearheaded by Readshaw for the restoration and maintenance of the 146 Pennsylvania regimental monuments and markers on the Adams County battlefield.

While the other facets of the preservation campaign will continue, Readshaw said the months of preparation the run and associated events requires is pre-empted in 2002 by the challenge presented him by next year's elections. Readshaw's legislative district was substantially altered by the reapportionment that resulted from the 2000 census.

Readshaw said the Monument Challenge for school students across the Commonwealth remains. The challenge, endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Education Association, encourages students and teachers to become involved in the fund drive as they learn about Pennsylvania and American history. Students have held events such as bake sales and walks to raise contributions. Several schools raised enough to completely cover repairs or maintenance trusts for specific monuments, usually those that had enlistees from the school's locality.

Mainly through the efforts of Readshaw and his supporters, funding for current maintenance and repairs to the Pennsylvania monuments is in place. Their goal now is to build perpetual care trusts for each monument to provide for future preservation work.

"By no means are we backing away from the Gettysburg Monuments Project," Readshaw said. "My legislative district comes first. The realignment of the district requires more time on my part to complete goals in the portions that will be leaving, and to become more familiar with the people and specific needs of the communities that will be new to the 36th District.

"I am proud that we accomplished our first objective in raising $168,000 for the restoration and repair of the 146 Pennsylvania regimental monuments. The second objective of raising $400,000 to permanently endow these monuments will likewise be successful. "In 2003, the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, our run will be back to full speed."