T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM John Thomlan, a trustee of the Joseph “John” Earl Klier Trust, hands an $11,000 check to Shirley Minnozzi, treasurer of the Barton Volunteer Fire Department. The money was donated to the fire department for its soon-to-be launched Brick Campaign, which will help raise funds for its new fire station. Also pictured is Fire Chief Kirk Smolenak, who displays a brick from the campaign.

BARTON — The Joseph “John” Earl Klier Trust helped kick off the Barton Volunteer Fire Department’s Brick Campaign with an $11,000 donation.

John Thomlan, a trustee of the trust fund, presented Fire Chief Kirk Smolenak with the check Thursday morning. Thomlan said the donation closed out the long-running trust, which was set up in the amount of $150,000 upon Klier’s death in 2003. Klier was a lifelong resident of Barton and wanted to help give back to the community he loved.

Since the trust was formed, trustees have made anonymous donations, pursuant to the trust’s terms, to organizations and projects in Colerain Township that help benefit the community and its residents.

In the past, the trust has supported the American Cancer Society, the township and other fire department projects. Thomlan said it was set up in Klier’s will to give to whatever organization in the community needed funds, so that’s what he has done over the years.

Thomlan said he thought the donation to the volunteer fire department just “made sense.” Klier was a big supporter of the fire department and making the trust’s final donation to the start of the campaign just felt right, he said.

“John had a real soft spot for the fire department in addition to the community,” he said. “… In these small communities, the volunteer fire department is really the heart of the community.”

The donation was the first made to the department’s new Brick Campaign, a fundraiser that will help fund its new fire station set to be constructed on the 3.6-acre empty lot off of Main Street in the township, down the street from the current station.

Interested residents or businesses can purchase a brick that will be added to a wall of the new station once it is built. Smolenak said they are set to receive bids for the estimated $1.7 million project April 7 with hopes of beginning construction in May. Right now there are no set plans for the current station.

The department has been working toward construction of a new station since 2003. Smolenak said they have been saving money since a levy failed to pass that year.

“Our montra after that was that the people have spoken, they’re not going to support it which we understand, so we didn’t want to take it back to them and ask them again so we started saving. We’re still not there, and it’s gotten a lot more expensive since 2003, but this will be a really nice start to the campaign,” he said, adding that they are hoping to raise around $100,000 through the Brick Campaign.

Smolenak said the official launch of the campaign is slated for April 10, but they were happy to receive their very first contribution in memory of Klier.

“John Earl (Klier) was a member here at one time, so for him to remember the department that he once served is a testament to our community for him to remember us that way; and not only the department but the community itself. It’ll be a good start to our Brick Campaign,” the chief said, adding that the campaign is an “excellent” project for Barton that also support’s Klier’s wishes.

Once constructed, the new firehouse will be the “newest and nicest building” in the township, Smolenak said.

Additional information will be released in the coming weeks regarding the campaign.