March 1998 letter to the Bates Friends Class of 1951

In a March 1998 letter to the Bates Friends in the Class of 1951, Bates announced that a memorial would be created. The memorial would be created to honor Charles Sampson and his efforts mentoring WWII veterans and their families, along with the community of Sampsonville itself. Specifically, the letter announced a goal of raising $10,000 to erect a weather-resistant bench, landscape the area, and cover future maintenance.