From Concept to Completion
It all began with one question,
how do we grieve?
2008 | Dream it.
Mayor Mark Olsen agrees to meet with Rachael Ristau to discuss the possibility of projection construction and secure support from The Village of Fayetteville Board of Trustees.
2009 | Mobilize it.
John Shaffer, Fayetteville-Manlius High School (FMHS) journalism teacher, promises an A grade to any student whose editorial is published. Mateen Boroujerdi submits an editorial about Ristau’s vision for a memory garden to The Post Standard — word of the project spreads and Mateen gets an A in the class!
Dal Pos Architects & Integrators Project Manger, Donna Bartolotti, reads editorial and invites Ristau to their office to learn more. Following the meeting, James Knittle and Anothny Rojas design site rendering, messaging, and branding.
Dal Pos and Ristau present rendering at the next Village of Fayetteville Board meeting where Hueber-Breuer Project Manager Sean Foran joins the initiative.
Local contractors — O'Brien & Gere, Paragon Pavers, J.K. Tobin, Allied, J&J Landscaping, Landmasters and Cross Creek Nursery — collaborate regularly to design logistical plan and share expertise.
FMG receives approval from Village of Fayetteville Trustees.
The project is officially designated as Fayetteville Memory Garden and often referred to as FMG for short.
FMHS students gather for Annual Car Wash & Bake Sale at M&T Bank. Half of the proceeds are donated to the John Kansas Foundation and the other half to FMG.
2010 | Share it.
FMG Committee launches epic fundraising campaign — car wash & bake sale at M&T Bank, a Bottle & Can Drive throughout FM District, Wine and Cheese Tasting Event at Deckard's Winery, an Uno's Doughraiser, a Bowl-A-Thon at Green Lakes Lanes, a luncheon and live concert at O'Shea's Tavern, after school events hosted by Character Ed at FM High School, an FM District Wide Jeans Day held by NHS, etc.
Fundraising campaign furthers as Quartier Printing, Dallas Graphics and Plan & Print Systems Inc. donate 23,000+ flyers.
Community presence increases as members of the fundraising committee and volunteers speak with local community groups, walk in the Memorial Day Parade, and table at local malls and the annual Fayetteville Festival.
Officially start selling bricks!!
Our message spreads further as FMG is featured in local media — The Post Standard, News Channel 9, News Channel 10, The Eagle Bulletin, the Bridge Street Show, and 93Q Ted & Amy in the Morning.
2011 | Build it.
FMG Committee hosts Fifa Tournament at FM High School, a special ‘Grow Our Garden’ silent auction and BBQ dinner at the Limestone Grill, Moe's Fundraiser, and a third car wash and bake sale at M&T Bank.
FM Student Council partners with every school club to host a community-wide festival, FM Day at FM High School.
FMG Fundraising committee raises $90K in 17 months, hitting an internal goal and enabling the next phase of construction.
Break ground in June!
October 22nd, 2011 the Fayetteville Memory Garden is officially opened. Community members gather to symbolically cut the ribbon, enjoy the beautiful setting for reflection, and listen to speakers reflect on the journey of our community project.
Today | Grow it.
Remains a setting for reflection, built for all people.
Maintained by volunteers and garden clubs who generously donate their time to keep the space clean and beautiful.
Managed by a Board of Directors.
Utilized by local groups and individuals to host memorial services, grief groups, and special events.
To date, two weddings have been celebrated on site and one virtual event has been hosted.
“For someone who does not have a final resting place to visit for their loved one, the Memory Garden has been a sanctuary. A place to go in times of confusion and
struggle to regain balance and serenity. I am very lucky to be a part of a community that has provided such a beautiful area for me to feel connected to my brother.”
Thank you…
to all of our tireless volunteers who contributed to initial fundraising efforts, a direct result of the building of our garden, a physical reminder of courage for our entire community.
Special Recognition
Ranissa Adiyavarman • Dani Alderman • Julie Alderman • Brad Amman • Christina Anagnost • Jimmy Angelicola • Christopher Anklin • Mary Anklin • Tara April • Rose Avellino • Rohit Bahn • Andrew Bannar • Hannah Balfour • Cody Barger • Scott Barger • Jake Barnes • Donna Bartolotti • Sivash Bashiriyeh • Pam Bender • Matt Bass • Allie Baynes • Jennie Best • Abby Boduch • Jenna Boland • Laura Boland • Katie Bombard • Mateen Boroujerdi • Stephanie Bousquet • Becka Boyer • Seth Braddock • Amy Bright • Ben Burghardt • Lyndsey Callahan • Hadley Cammeron-Carter • Chris Camesas • Jamie Campbell • Mollie Caputo • Conner Chen • Alex Chiang • Chrissie Cioppa • Pete Cioppa • Kelsey Clark • Caitlin Coles • Julian Collett • Mark Colucci • Brian Concannon • Erin Concannon • Katie Convertino • Alida Cooke • Hannah Corbett • Matt Corbett • Ryan Courtwright • Hannah Cowley • Drew Craft • Louis Davis • Eva De Charleroy • Matt De Francisco • Bri Dolan • Stephanie Donato • Amy Donnelly • Amanda Doyle • Charlie Doyle • Martin Doyle • Rachel Doyle • Patrick Duniwila • Henry Dyer Cruzado • Alec Echinique • Justin Endy • Mike Equi • Glenn Erickson • Alex Espinoza • Erin Fauer • Willow Faulkner • Andrew Fieschko • Shana Fleishman • Caroline Flezar • Kelly Foran • Paddy Foran • Ryan Foran • Sean Foran • Terry Foran • John Fox • Paige Fralick • Eric Freeman • Kristi Freyer • Evan Galat • Annie Galloway • August George • Austin George • Jackie Geraci • Eva Giacona • Ethan Gilbert • Ben Gnacik • Natalie Goldberg • Dana Greene • Kyle Greer • Casey & Van Cleary-Hammerstead • Elizabeth Hanson • Mike Hartnett • Matt Hartzheim • Dan Hernandez • Jacob Hess • Coleen Hillers • Ellie Hillers • Hunter Hillers • Rob Hillers • MacKenzie Holznecht • Melissa Horse • Cathy Hough • Joe Howe • Maria Hudson • Greg Hyson • Trey James • Sydney Jarvis • Ryan Jones • Adriana Kam • Chad Karkowski • Kacey Kelly • MacKenzie Kelly • Joe Kemper • Krishna Kesari • Niki Khalil • Caroline Khan • Jeremy Kidd • Ryan Kiggins • Reid Kiley • Brenna Kilpatrick • Ray Kilmer • Brenna Kincaid • James Knittle • Nancy Kuhl • Jeff Kurtz • Julie Kurtz • Kathy Kurtz • Oliver Laipoint • Alex LaLonde • Pam Lane • Mike Langevin • Mark Langevin • Pat Langevin • Kenzie Langkammerer • Doug Lawrence • Arlene Lazarus • Marisa Lazarus • John Lee • Lucia Lee • Ryan Leibundgut • Chris Licitra • Nicole Lifson • Emily Lobello • Rubén López García • Mike Lopez • Lisa Lorenzini • Simone Madlin • Joe Mahr • Alexa Mammone • Jeremey Mapstone • Renee Marleu • Ryan Mather • Matt Mazzie • Cathy McKeever • Jim McKeever • Justin McKeever • Andrew Metz • Anthony Millimaci • Bill Miner • Bryce Mingola • Mike Moliski • Chelsey Mollin • Matt Moro • Ariana Morocco • Andrew Morton • Rachael Mou-Thiel • Alison Mullan-Stout • Louis Muraco • Chis Murphy • Kendra Napirala • Matt Nash • Karly Neuss • Tyler Neveldine • Paula Newman • Susan Nichols • Timmy Noble • Cristian Nuno • Christina O’Connor • Kari O’Connor • Kayla O’Connor • Shane O’Connor • Emily Ockert • Lauren Ogborn • Diane Ogno • Ruby Ogno • Mark Olsen • Josey Oquendo • Mike Palermo • Julia Pasquale • Himani Patel • Hannah Patnaik • Ben Perotti • Ignacio Pezo • Delaney Pfhol • Jho Pommels • Ali Plitzka • Nick Polera • Jho Pommels • Maddie Poster • Mitch Poster • Debbie Possie • Janet Press • John Price • Rachel Primo • Deyana Procoprio • Jason Procoprio • Kari Procoprio • Robbie Prycoir • Jeff Pu • Kevin Putnam • Haley Quinland • Vincent Randazzo • Logan Rando • Matt Reiley • Kieran Regan • Maggie Reopell • Anthony Restante • Jason Rhee • Gemma Richardson • Monica Rich • Jordan Ritchie • Kim Ritchie • Maudie Ritchie • Parker Ritchie • Rob Rivera • Rocco • Joel Roman • Kirsten Russell • Colin Same • Flip Same • Lise Same • Morgan Same • Francisco Santamaria • Joe Satterfield • Kelsey Sawyer • Corey Schneider • Mallory Shanon • Timothy Shepard • Rebecca Shirkoff • Katie Sipple • Nabeel Shukri • Hunter Snomoro • Meg Snyder • Kim Spraige • Tyler Stalter • Kyle Steere • Ian Szyjkowski • James Tatum • Crissy Thomas • Pham Thomas • Julia Todd • Colin Tynan • Jamie Tynan • Pete Tynan • Ari Waffle • Brian Ward • Ryan Warthen • Brooks Weigl • Heidi Weiss • Tara Wellington • Haley Wheeler • Steph Wilcoxen • Dani Williams • Megan Wilson • Judy Windhausen • Molly Wineki • John Wittig • Chris Wong • Nick Zamelis • Mike Zazzara