It wasn’t the first time someone had proposed an engraved-brick fundraiser to Pat and Jane Gallagher. The Lake Anna couple behind the nonprofit Foundation for Lake Anna Emergency Services had been pitched the idea several times before. This time, however, would be different.
A few years earlier, the Gallaghers had established the foundation to raise money for the construction and ongoing support of a new fire and rescue station serving the Lake Anna area. Unfortunately, the couple already had their hands full with a wide variety of other fundraising commitments. So, when Mary Jo McCoy raised the topic again in the summer of 2022, the Gallaghers were ready. Jane told her she loved the idea and asked Mary Jo to take the lead on the project.
Mary Jo and her husband, Jim, researched numerous fundraising companies that could supply custom-engraved bricks along with the logistical and marketing support needed for a successful program. After narrowing the field to three vendors, the McCoys presented their recommendation to the board, and—just like that—the foundation’s Buy-A-Brick program was born.
Next, the Gallaghers and McCoys met with Anderson Woolfolk, Louisa County’s General Services Manager, to discuss how the bricks could be used. The original plan was to incorporate them into a sign in front of the new fire and rescue station. However, the group optimistically estimated they could sell far more bricks than a sign could accommodate, so they decided to create an entire patio at the station. Woolfolk proved invaluable, designing the patio and determining brick specifications and quantities.
Over the following months, the foundation collaborated closely with the fundraising company to build a dedicated website and establish the ordering and delivery process. Meanwhile, Mary Jo recruited about ten of her closest friends to form the “Lake Anna Brick Chicks,” an all-volunteer group that helps people customize and purchase their bricks. The Brick Chicks went through a comprehensive training on helping buyers design and order bricks. In the fall of 2022, the first Brick Chick booth debuted at a fall festival at Cooling Pond Brewery.
Since the late-2022 launch, the Brick Chicks have made appearances at dozens of public events and have sold more than 740 bricks (priced at either $100 or $200 each) plus eight customized $2,500 benches, raising well over $100,000 to support the firefighters and EMT’s at New Bridge Station 8. The memorial patio itself is now roughly 50 percent complete and should be completely full within a year.
After helping fund a new rescue boat, a brush truck, an ambulance, and other life-saving gear, the foundation is currently raising money for a new tanker.
For those who haven’t yet purchased a custom brick, visit www.MyBrickLKA.com. As Pat Gallagher likes to say, “Buy a brick—save a life.”
