A local 14-year-old received a standing ovation from Binghamton City Council for her efforts to keep the memory of her best friend alive.
Nearly five years ago, Katie Laskaris lost her best friend Kristie Ray in a house fire. The two met as students in the same elementary school.
Wednesday night, Laskaris received the green light from City Council to set up a memorial at Brown Park. The plan is to install a bench with a couple plaques.
Laskaris’ idea came about after the original memorial at the site of the tragedy was torn down. She says she’s overwhelmed by the support she’s received for her efforts.
“It feels really good to be able to stand up here because most of the time, I’m one of the people who are very quiet and nobody knows who I am. It feels really good,” Laskaris said.
Laskaris hopes to raise about $400 for the project. She says she picked Brown Park because it looked empty and peaceful.
