Tree in Geer Park planted in remembrance of Covid victims
A Holly Oak planted at Geer Park to remember lives lost to Covid. (Courtesy/ Bobbie Snead)
Visitors to Geer Park will now be greeted by a memorial, one that commemorates the lives lost to Covid.
“In the wake of sorrow, we find our strength together in knowing that our loved ones are in our hearts forever,” a plaque in front of a Holly Oak tree reads.
The Garden Angels, a landscape design firm headquartered in Salem, was awarded a grant through Columbia Bank and used the funds to design a memorial for Covid victims.
Elizabeth Powers, principal designer with The Garden Angels, said they chose Geer Park because it’s centrally located and serves a diverse community of parkgoers.
“We know this young park will grow with our city. The Holly Oak (Quercus ilex) is a sturdy and drought-resistant evergreen tree with holly-like leaves, a symbol of everlasting life, ever reminding us of those souls lost in the pandemic,” she said in a statement.
-Saphara Harrell
