15-Year-Old Builds Hospital a Memorial Garden

Emotional family members laid white roses across the names of 31 deceased hospital workers etched into the bluestone granite of a new memorial garden at Plainview Hospital, built by 15-year-old Jacob Zipkin of Dix Hills Boy Scout Troop 309, last week.

In search of an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project that would allow him to achieve the Boy Scout’s highest rank, Zipkin reached out to Plainview Hospital, where his father is a physician, to discuss a worthy project. The hospital suggested the garden, which honors the extraordinary efforts of long-time doctors, nurses and staff that dedicated their professional lives to their patients and the hospital. With help from his fellow Eagle Scout hopefuls, he completed the garden last month, after extensive planning, preparation, budgeting, fundraising, outreach to family members and memorial construction.

“It’s great that we can be here today to honor many of the people who worked so hard for the hospital, their patients and this community,” Zipkin, a 10th grade student at , said. “Hopefully this garden can be a place where people can come and spend a few minutes, and think about all of their good memories. I also hope that in the future, additional families can be contacted to have their loved ones names included.”

Per Jacob’s plan, unused granite tiles were donated to the hospital along with more than $700 of remaining funds to be used for future engraving.

*Article and photo contributed by North Shore - LIJ Health System