The Orange Trustees of Soldiers’ Memorials met briefly Tuesday to accept a donation of $460 from Graverobbers Restoration. Pictured, from left, are trustee Michelle LeBlanc, Grave Robbers owner Norman Sargent and trustees Christopher Marshall, James Cornwell and Bruce St. John.
The Orange Trustees of Soldiers’ Memorials met briefly Tuesday to accept a donation of $460 from Graverobbers Restoration. Pictured, from left, are trustee Michelle LeBlanc, Grave Robbers owner Norman Sargent and trustees Christopher Marshall, James Cornwell and Bruce St. John. Credit: Staff Photo/David McLellan

ORANGE — For four minutes, four members of the Trustees of Soldiers’ Memorials hovered just inside the fire station garage, away from the rain, and held an official meeting.

While brief, the meeting was one of those moments that keep the group going. Norman Sargent, owner of the local antique automobile-restoring business, Graverobbers Restoration, presented the group with a check for $460.

“This is huge for us,” said James Cornwell, an Air Force veteran and one of the six members of the trustees.

The elected group relies entirely on donations and the occasional grants to maintain, refurbish and build upon the town’s parks and memorials — including “It Shall Not Be Again,” the World War I monument and official “peace statue” of Massachusetts featured prominently in the center of Memorial Park downtown.

Cornwell said the amount of money the trustees get fluctuates greatly — from donations totaling $10,000 some years to a total of less than $500 in others. The $460 is the largest donation this year, Cornwell said.

The money from Graverobbers will be put into a gift account, and it is unknown how the money will be used. However, the next project the trustees will need to fund is the extension of the Honor Roll Wall at Memorial Park, which bears the names of Orange residents who have served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Graverobbers — which Sargent named because it restores and brings old cars “back from the dead” — offers full-service preservation of classic cars at its 8 West Main St. location. The business also throws annual events, including its recent car show, where attendees had a chance to donate to the trustees. Cornwell said awareness about the trustees, and such help from local businesses and people, is what keeps the group going, and gets the needed maintenance done.

“It wasn’t just me who wanted to support you guys,” Sargent said with a smile, before getting into a white vintage muscle car parked out front. “It was the people who showed up… The people were the ones who wanted to help.”

Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.