A Differnet Kind of Memorial Day Celebration

Memorial Day is for heroes.  Heroes who gave their lives to protect and keep our country safe.  Today, at Longview Farm Park, Memorial Day was also about honoring our personal heroes.   We remembered departed family and friends by planting a tree in their honor. 

The idea began a few years ago with Matt Broderick’s Mother passed away.  Matt worked for Town & Country and is an avid gardener. We thought that planting a tree in her memory was a tangible way to honor her.  Unfortunately, Matt left his job and the tree planting was on the back burner for a while.

Time marched on and garden club members mourned the passing of parents, in-laws, siblings and friends.  I thought we should do more than just send a condolence card.  When Meg Johnson’s Mother passed away, I remembered the tree that we were supposed to plant a tree in the memory of Matt’s Mother.  Why couldn’t we make it our very own “Memorial Tree” and place the names of our loved ones on it?  Parks Supervisor Anne Nixon gave us the go-ahead and the search was on for the right kind of tree.

It had to be a native tree and have an upright shape as opposed to a horizontal growth habit.  After all, our plan was to hang metal tags on the new tree, a great addition to the native garden we started years ago with Matt and finished last fall.  A Fringe tree was considered, but we’d need to buy two for pollination.  An Evergreen would hide the tags.  When Geno found a spectacular Whitebud at Kirkwood Material, the choice was made.  I had an idea that would take the dedication to the next level.

My cousins, Candy and Dave Stuchenschneider, recently started a business-they release Doves for momentous occasions.  You can find out more about he business, Wish Upon A Dove, online at www.wishuponadove.com

 I witnessed the emotion involved with holding and releasing a dove at Candy’s Mom, Muriel’s, 90th birthday party.  Muriel made a wish and tossed the dove into the sky.  I admit getting a little choked up when I saw Muriel’s happy tears.  Wouldn’t a release of doves at Longview be the perfect addition to putting the memorial tags on the new Whitebud?  We could each remember the people whose names we etched on the tags as the doves were released.  I spoke to Candy and the release was a go! 

Of course weather is always a concern.  The doves can’t fly in a storm or high winds.  Luckily, we had a perfect, sunny day.  I didn’t tell anyone about the doves.  I wanted it to be a total surprise.  And it absolutely was!  After we engraved our tags and placed them on the tree, Candy and Dave arrived with the doves.  I placed a tag in honor of my friend, Jamie Cannon.  Jamie passed away last fall.  He loved Longview and served with me on the committee to oversee the new addition.

Dave and Candy explained why they chose to start the new business, how they train the doves, and shared a few stories before the release.  Generally, only one person is allowed to release doves.  I wanted my good friend, Lynn Wright, to release a dove in honor of her brother, Bill Heimberger who just recently passed away.  Bill was one of the most gentle, kind and caring men I have ever met.  Dave made an exception and anyone who wanted got to release a dove.  Mentally, I envisioned Jamie as I released my dove.  Lynn thought of Bill, Ginny remembered her Dad, and all the other members joined in.  It was the perfect way to spend our Memorial Day- cherishing the memory of those who have left us, using doves to carry our wishes up to heaven, lightening our heavy hearts.