Monument placed at Coronavirus Memorial, Peace Garden

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Menifee parks workers on Tuesday installed a granite monument donated by Miller-Jones Mortuary in the Coronavirus Memorial and Peace Garden in Central Park.

The garden was created at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with support of the Menifee Interfaith Council and the City of Menifee. It is located next to the fountains at the entrance to the park, which is located at 30268 Civic Plaza Drive. A “white rock river” of painted rocks laid around the garden pays tribute to those who have either died from COVID-19 or have passed away from other causes.

“The Peace Garden part was made for anyone who has had a loss,” said Mayor Pro Tem Lesa Sobek, who was instrumental in creation of the memorial. “It’s continued to grow. When we were planning it, I reached out to both Miller-Jones and Evans-Brown Mortuary and asked if they wanted to do something. Both said yes.

"Now we have the first one, from Miller-Jones. There was a backlog during COVID, but they got it in.”   

(In the photo above, Linda Blanche stands by the monument along with City parks employees Bryce Howell, Joseph Powell and Gustavo Perez).

Sobek unveiled the monument along with Linda Blanche, representing Miller-Jones. The monument reads, “In memory of all those who passed during the 2020 pandemic – Donated by Menifee Interfaith Council and Miller-Jones Mortuary.”

Bryce Howell, parks/landscape maintenance manager for the City of Menifee, said the monument weighs more than 100 pounds and is secured to the concrete for safety.

“This is the perfect location for it,” Howell said. “It’s right around the fountains, so it’s very peaceful.”

Blanche spoke of the City’s theme this year, which emphasizes the ME in Menifee. The theme, developed by Sobek, speaks of “Kindness, resilience and engagement.”

“We try to bring comfort to those who need it," Blanche said.

Sobek explained the theme, which she hopes will be kept in the public eye as, like everywhere else, Menifee tries to recover from the pandemic and continues to pay tribute to all those who have passed away.

“It’s about ‘me’ making a difference,” she said. “You can look at it as, ‘It’s all about me’. But no, it’s about ‘It starts with me.’ It’s about taking ownership of your community.”

If you know a Menifee resident or group that exemplifies the theme of Menifee: Kindness, resilience, engagement” and would like to see them highlighted on Menifee 24/7, email doug.spoon@menifee247.com or send us a Facebook message.

         Linda Blanche and Lesa Sobek pose at the unveiling of the monument at the Coronavirus Memorial.
 

        Photos by Menifee 24/7