Sep 29, 2020

Special Thank You to St. Sebastian Parish School Alum, Charlie Wilt, for completing his Eagle Scout Project at Byrider Hall. Charlie said, "I'm extremely grateful for my supportive troop, family and friends who helped me along the way and the day of. It couldn't have been done without the strong community surrounding me." Charlie utilized stones that have been by the greenhouse for years and built a daffodil memorial bed through the Daffodil Project.

The reason the memorial features daffodils is that their shape and color represent the Yellow Stars the Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust. Yellow is the color of remembrance and daffodils represent our poignant hope for the future. They are resilient and return with a burst of color each spring. The daffodils honor the memory of those who perished and also serve to honor those who survived.

The Worldwide Daffodil Project plaque was placed in the garden reads, Resilient, bright and filled with hope, these daffodils, which return with a burst of color each spring, are part of the worldwide Living Holocaust Memorial that aspires to plant 1.5 million daffodils in memory of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust and for children who suffer in humanitarian crises around the world today.

To finish the memorial, Charlie planted a Himalayan birch tree that symbolizes new beginnings, regeneration, hope, and new dawns in many cultures. Thank you Charlie for making us remember all who suffered during the Holocaust and adding beauty to our parish grounds.