A coalition of community groups and residents, including Friends of Jerome Park, will hold a memorial event to honor all those lost to COVID-19 to date, as the country surpasses a second year of the pandemic. The event takes place at University Avenue and Reservoir Avenue (at Fort Washington Walk) in Jerome Park, on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m. and all are welcome to attend.

On Oct. 23, 2021, a tree-planting ceremony took place at the same location to memorialize all victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marianne Kraft, one of organizers of Saturday’s event, said trees were the perfect symbol to honor those lost, since the coronavirus is a respiratory illness and trees provide oxygen to the planet.

Through the process of photosynthesis, leaves pull in carbon dioxide and water and use the energy of the sun to convert this into chemical compounds like sugars that feed the tree. As a by-product of that chemical reaction, oxygen is produced and released by trees.

Kraft said there will be music by students of the Celia Cruz School of Music on Saturday, as well as poetry recitals, and the event will also be attended by volunteers with the James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center and local youth from CatRock Ventures.

Kraft said anyone is welcome to attend and read out the name(s) of any loved ones lost to COVID-19.