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The Make Life Good Company Contributes to the Recently-Dedicated Station Nightclub Fire Memorial Park
The Make Life Good Company, a social good lifestyle products company, was one of many individual and corporate contributors to the construction of the Station Fire Memorial Park in West Warwick, R.I., which was dedicated recently (5/21/17) to honor the 100 music fans who perished in the Station Nightclub fire on February 20, 2003.
The Make Life Good Company donated one of hundreds of bricks used for pathways throughout the memorial park. It is inscribed with the words "The Make Life Good Company" with an emphasis on the words "Make Life Good."
"The park is a lasting memorial to all those who were killed and injured as a result of the fire and we wanted to contribute in our own small way to all of those who were affected by the fire," says David J. Wudyka, president of The Make Life Good Company. "Our contribution of a brick represents our hope that all of those who visit the memorial park in the decades to come will be always mindful of taking actions that do, in fact, Make Life Good for others, including protecting people from an event like this from ever happening again."
The fire on Thursday evening, February 20, 2003, was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the band Great White, which ignited plastic foam used as sound insulation in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage of the Station Nightclub. A fast-moving fire with intense black smoke engulfed the club in less than six minutes. Video footage of the fire shows its ignition, rapid growth, the billowing smoke that quickly made escape impossible, and the exit blockage that further hindered evacuation. The toxic smoke, heat and the stampede of people toward the exits killed 100; 230 were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured.
The dedication ceremony was attended by hundreds of family and friends of those who died and many of the more of the injured survivors of the fire, including Rhode Island native, recording artist and NBC “The Voice” season 11 runner-up in 2016, Billy Gilman, who performed his song “There’s A Hero” (written by Don Cook and John Jarvis) at the dedication ceremony. Rhode Island dignitaries also spoke at the ceremony, including Gina Russo, chairwoman of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation and a survivor of the fire, Rhode Island U.S. Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Jim Langevin, Governor Gina Raimondo, and former Governor Donald Carcieri, who was the governor of the state at the time of the fire and its aftermath.
The mission of The Make Life Good Company is to remind, encourage and inspire people to “Make Life Good!” for others through positive, pro-active messages on the products the company offers on its website (MakeLifeGood.co), The company is based in Wrentham, Mass.
Rhode Island native, recording artist and NBC “The Voice” season 11 runner-up in 2016, Billy Gilman, sings his song “There’s A Hero” (written by Don Cook and John Jarvis) at the dedication ceremony of the Station Fire Memorial Park, West Warwick, R.I., which was held recently (5/21/17) to honor the 100 music fans who perished in the Station Nightclub Fire on February 20, 2003. The event was attended by hundreds of family and friends of those who died as well as many survivors of the fire. In the background (l - r) are Congressman Jim Langevin (RI), Senator Jack Reed (RI), Gina Russo, chairperson of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation and a survivor of the fire, Gene Valicenti, dedication master of ceremonies and news anchor at WJAR-TV and WPRO-AM, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and former Governor Donald Carcieri and his wife Suzanne.
