By Richard C. Gross
Takoma Park citizens have begun a drive to raise money
for a memorial to Roscoe, the Rooster, whose smug and sure-footed
strutting around the main streets of the city ended abruptly under
the wheels of a vehicle in February.
City Councilmember Larry Rubin, Ward 1, suggested at the first
meeting of the Roscoe Memorial Committee May 15 that a fundraising
goal of $5,000 should be set. Artists would be contracted to compete
in a design contest that would culminate in erecting a life-sized
sculpture of Roscoe that would be cast in bronze.
Two ink drawings of Roscoe 8 inches by 10 inches - one frontal,
one profile - should be submitted to the Takoma Voice newspaper,
6935 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, Md. 20912. The deadline for
submission of the drawings is July 23 and the winner will be
chosen by the committee at its July 24 meeting.
The rooster, said to be both loved and hated by the citizenry
who were exposed to Roscoe's crowings, lived in the back yard of
a rooming house situated near Mark's Kitchen on Carroll Avenue,
Takoma Park's main street. He was struck and killed by a
hit-and-run driver near the intersection of Carroll and Laurel
Avenues Feb. 15.
The intersection is in Mr. Rubin's ward.
"He was definately a road kill," said Joan Horn, of 7212
Maple Ave., coordinator of the memorial committee. "We thought
he was a wonderful icon of Takoma Park and that we should do
something about his demise, to memorialize his demise."
Roscoe, who lived in Takoma Prk for about 10 years, was wrapped
and buried near the scene of his death at a memorial service that
was dubbed both a "Requiem for A Rooster" and a "Funeral for A Fowl."
"We're confident we can raise this money [for a memorial]
because Takoma Park supports projects like this," Ms. Horn said.
One possible source for some of the money, Ms. Horn said in a
telephone interview, would be the Takoma Foundation. The
organization generally distributes money annually to needy causes
in the city.
"That sounds crazy," said a former foundation board member,
speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mr. Rubin told the meeting that he would try to obtain a
resolution of support from the City Council for building the
memorial, according to the minutes taken by Ms. Horn.
"Larry Rubin suggested that we aim for a fund of about $5,000,"
the minutes said. It would cost between $500 to $2,500 to cast a
75-pound sculpture of Roscoe with a plaque of commemoration,
according to an estimate from B&A Metal Graphics of Silver
Spring, which the committee contacted about the memorial.
Possible locations proposed for the memorial were the center post
of the town clock, which is owned by the city; near the Gazebo on
Carroll Avenue, which is maintained by the city but is owned by
Montgomery County; or the front lawn of Roscoe's former residence,
according to the minutes. But there was a consensus that the
residence "would be the least desirable" since it is private property,
they said.
Committee members agreed "that it would be desirable" for the
memorial project to be completed in time for this year's Old Town
Street Festival Oct. 3.
Karen Davis, of Machipongo, Va., president of United Poultry
Concerns, Inc., attended the meeting and said she would publicize the
project in her organization's publication, Poultry Press, of which
she is the editor.
So, get those submissions in... <ooof>
