Memorial Garden to gain gazebo

The memorial garden near the Cedar River, that will soon house a gazebo. Contributed Photo

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church Parent support group has helped raise money for a memorial garden and now a gazebo on the Cedar Riverfront.

“It’s such a huge deal to be able to finish this project,” Jill Connell said.

Connell is a parent that has lost a child and is involved with the memorial garden that serves as a place for parents of lost children and anyone else that cares to visit.

“It’s beyond what my intentions were,” Connell said. “It’s really just gives us a place of solace.”

The garden has started getting noticed by the community. Connell will sometimes have Charles City residents compliment her on the garden, she said.

“There are a lot of people in the community who have lost a child who don’t come to our group, and still need something like this,” Connell said. “The city was kind enough to let us use this land.”

After being part of the support group for a couple of years Connell had an idea about having a place where they could go.

“When you have a child die, you like to be busy with something,” Connell said. “You need to work on something and so this gave us an opportunity.”

She started raising money for the garden very early on. The flowers were donated, and the cement was provided through fundraising.

The gazebo was priced at around $1600, Connell said.

“It seemed like a mountain,” Connell said.

Luckily Sharon Hruska, who was part of the group, went and asked her employers to help, Connell said.

“On a whim (she) went and asked, and they said ‘sure how much do you need,’” Connell said. “They gave us the rest.”

The garden comes from donations from St. John Evangelical Lutheran church in Charles City, Cambrex, and anyone can designate their offering at St. John to go toward the garden.

The bulk of the funds came from St. John, Connell said.

The tending of garden is done by Connell primarily.

“We take any donations,” Connell said. “People are just thinning out what they have in their yard and we’ll just take them.”

Black irises, a rare flower, were donated for the garden by Jeanne Martin, Connell said.

“It’s kind of therapy for me,” Connell said. “I go down there and work in the flower beds.”

The next step for the group is to put up a sign, which is another $500 they need, Connell said.

“We’re kind of doing it a piece at a time,” Connell said. “Its hard asking people for money.”

The new gazebo should be up by the spring, Connell said. She’s hoping to have it ready by the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa or RAGBRAI.

Anyone interested in donating money can contact St. John’s Lutheran Church, and anyone interested in donating any items for the garden should contact Connell.