Leo Gillick
The death of a child is an event that tears people apart. So, to honor the lost children and the sorrow felt by parents and families, a public park has been built in the quietest area of Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
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The small public park is being built as a place where people can come to remember lost children. There is a collection of 10 benches surrounding a small paved area. It’s not a large place, but it provides a space for tranquility and opportunity to reflect and remember.
The small public park is just outside the school board building in River Run. The 10 benches have spaces for plaques to be filled with names. They are reserved for children who have died as a result of violence, crashes, illness, or natural causes.
The small memorial park will serve as a memorial for the lost children. Parents, families, and friends can come to pay their respects here and take a moment in a serene and silent area.
Public Park Honors Lost Children
Speaking about the project, Jaimie Ashton, the community advocate who spearheaded the project, had some poignant points to make. “We’ve had just so many things between shootings and other things happening. I felt like I had to do something to offer some sort of help, like we see you, we feel your pain, and offer some sort of option.”
In the US, shootings became the leading cause of death for children in 2020. It has remained this way ever since. Data from 2023 noted that the US had 6.1 children killed by shooting per 100,000. Comparatively, similar countries only saw 0.21 on average.
The memorial in the public park is designed to commemorate all lost children. But, as Ashton highlighted, there is a disproportionate number of children lost to shootings.
Parents of lost children are welcome to add the name of their child to the park benches. The school board will offer a form for parents to fill out online. So, by adding their child to the list, they will have a place they can come to sit and remember their lost children.
