SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. β The sound of block saws and the tap of placing paver stones echoed through southern Spotsylvania County Friday as construction crews worked to complete a memorial park dedicated to children lost too soon.
The memorial park, located in front of the school board building off River Run, will feature 10 benches with the names of children lost to violence, crashes, illness or natural causes etched into them.
"We've had just so many things between shootings and other things happening β 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," said Jaimie Ashton, the community advocate who spearheaded the project.
The memorial will serve as a quiet place for families and friends to reflect and remember loved ones called home early.
"I can't imagine losing one of my kids," Ashton said. "I don't know if any other place has anything like it."
Families will have the option to have their loved one's name included on a bench. The school board will provide a link where families can submit their child's information.
"It's totally up to the family if they choose to have their loved one reflected on a bench," Ashton said.
Troy Skebo, who made several death notifications during his more than two decades as a deputy and now works in a community advocate role, praised the project.
"When I was growing up, I lost a cousin and they planted a tree at a local sports park and it served as a place where we could go and talk about him and I hope this place offers that to others," he said. "You dread having to go tell a family a loved one that their son or daughter or even tell a staff member that they're not with us anymore. It's tough."
Skebo commended the school board, Ashton and several local businesses for making the peaceful place for families come to life.
"Just to see something being built in front of us that will help so many people in years to come, I think it's just great," he said.
The memorial park cost zero taxpayer dollars to construct. Labor and materials were donated and carried out by Site One, Brothers and Sons Hardscaping and Archadeck of Fredericksburg.
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