Milwaukee closer to getting bronze Fonz

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Visit Milwaukee says it has raised about two-thirds of the funds needed to finance its bronze sculpture of "Happy Days" icon Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli.

The non-profit group that promotes the city as a tourism and convention destination expects to be able to unveil the statue of the famous fictional Milwaukee resident next October, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday.

Visit Milwaukee said it has raised $57,000 of the $85,000 needed to commission the sculpture of the character played by Henry Winkler on the long-running sit-com.

The group plans to sell "Bronze the Fonz" T-shirts to raise more money for the project.

Artist Gerald Sawyer has been hired to craft the statue, said David Fantle, the organization's vice president of public relations.

"It'll be one of his classic poses," Sawyer told the Sentinel, hinting he might depict the eternally cool character posing with a jukebox.

Visit Milwaukee hopes the statue will become a place where tourists will flock to take pictures.