84 Lumber Sponsors Portion of Franco Harris Memorial Park Land

Lumber company encourages Pittsburgh area companies to get involved in campaign

84 Lumber is proud to announce its sponsorship of an acre of land in the soon-to-be developed Franco Harris Memorial Park in the heart of Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Hoping to commemorate the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers player and community leader, a local nonprofit has started a campaign to build a 32-acre community park honoring Franco Harris. The park will be developed with parking, signage, trails, educational gardens, benches, tables, a pavilion, a small amphitheater, and a centrally located statue of Harris, featuring major donor recognition.

According to Watchword Worldwide, a 501(c)(3) based out of Ambridge, Pennsylvania, former Pittsburgh Penguins player Mark Eaton’s father assisted the organization with acquiring the first 26 acres for the park. After Harris’ passing in December 2022, the nonprofit decided to turn the park into 32 acres, in honor of the legendary Steelers player’s iconic jersey number. Watchword Worldwide then created and registered the Franco Memorial Park as a nonprofit. Their goal is to enlist the assistance of at least 10 corporations to sponsor half of the 32 acres.

Corporate sponsors will have naming rights in the park for its amenities, including two pavilions, a hillside amphitheater, a competition fitness course, information boards, among others. The Franco Harris Memorial Park then hopes to raise the remaining funds for the other 16 acres via public donations. 84 Lumber is the campaign’s first corporate sponsor. The company’s $160,000 1-acre sponsorship allows the nonprofit to enlist an architect to produce initial park renderings, legal fees, promotional materials, and a marketing website development firm to complete the campaign’s website.

“84 Lumber is honored and proud to be a part of this campaign,” said 84 Lumber owner and CEO Maggie Hardy. “Franco’s legacy as a football icon and legend, his incredible impact on the Pittsburgh community and the city’s history, embodies the values we cherish – hard work, dedication, and giving back to the communities we serve. We’re happy to play a role in preserving Franco’s memory and ensuring that this park helps preserve his story for future generations.”

In 2023, Hardy acquired the “Immaculate Reception” football that Harris caught during the historic Dec. 23, 1972, Steelers game. After being in the possession of a West Mifflin, Pennsylvania resident for a half-century, Hardy purchased the ball as a 100^th birthday gift for her father, 84 Lumber founder Joe Hardy. The ball is now on display on property at Nemacolin in Farmington, Pennsylvania. In December 2023, 84 Lumber also donated a series of seven limited-edition prints, created by artist Dino Guarino, to UPMC Children’s Hospital depicting Harris’ “Immaculate Reception” play. The prints, signed by Guarino and Harris before his death, are now installed and on display on the second floor waiting area of the main hospital.

Current Steelers tight end, Pat Freiermuth, has also agreed to contribute to the Franco Harris Memorial Park campaign. Freiermuth was introduced by Harris at the 2021 NFL draft. After the campaign, the park will be turned over to the Hollow Oak Land Trust, to own and maintain the park in perpetuity. A public dedication ceremony with family, donors, and media will take place, at which point the park will be turned over.

About 84 Lumber

Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Co. is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single and multifamily residences and commercial buildings. The company operates 320 facilities which include stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, and engineered wood product centers in 33 states. 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for a variety of products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking, and drywall. A certified national women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy, 84 Lumber was named as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 by Newsweek and was named one of America’s Top Retailers 2024 by USA Today. The company was also recognized as one of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2023 by Forbes. The company also made the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2023. For more information, visit 84lumber.com and join us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Source: 84 Lumber Company