A New Season for the Memorial Garden

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I have found solace in our Memorial Garden over the years, through our remembrance services and visits with my family after my father died.

Founded by our first Bereavement Coordinator Elizabeth Pittman in 1998 on a hillside in Living Memorial Park, the Garden was created as a place where our community could gather once each year to honor loved ones who have died. It is also a gentle reminder of the cycle of life that is woven into our work. From its beginnings, as a small plot of land nestled at the foot of a hill, to an established garden with a patio and a pergola, Center for Solace has shepherded the Garden through many seasons.

This year, Center for Solace made the decision to step back from stewardship of the Garden. As you know, this is a challenging time for nonprofits, and we must focus our limited resources on what is best for our clients. While the Garden is a lovely space to gather once a year for a service, we believe that the amount of resources used for caretaking the Garden is better spent on other services for our clients.

When I shared this decision several months ago with Carol Lolatte, the Director of Brattleboro’s  Recreation & Parks Department, she told me how meaningful the Garden is for her and for others. Shortly after our meeting, Carol contacted me and said that her Department will keep the garden mowed and remove trash, and are looking for volunteer gardeners to maintain the flowers. Throughout our stewardship of the Garden, the Rec Dept has been incredibly supportive, and we are deeply grateful to Carol and her team for stepping forward to help the Garden continue as a public space in our community.

On June 4th we are having a brief gathering to thank the Garden for the solace it has given us over the years, and to celebrate the beginning of its next chapter with new caretakers. Honoring transitions in life is a healing and hopeful act, and I hope you can join us.

Warmly,
Susan Parris
Executive Director