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Memorial Park Association Launches Recovery Fund Following Hurricane Irma
Funds will support park cleanup and recovery of damaged park features
September 22, 2017 | Jacksonville, Fla.
The Memorial Park Association today announced the launch of a recovery fund in response to damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Donations may be made online at memparkjax.org/donate.
Money donated to the recovery fund will support park cleanup and recovery efforts. Any additional funds will support ongoing park maintenance, beautification and improvement projects. All gifts are tax-deductible.
Storm surge from Hurricane Irma brought several feet of water from the St. Johns River into Memorial Park, which caused significant damage to the park’s lawn, benches and historic balustrade. The flooding did not damage the park’s most iconic feature: the Spiritualized Life statue. The image of waves surrounding Life became an instant symbol of Jacksonville’s resilience in news outlets ranging from The Florida Times-Union to The New York Times.
“Hurricane Irma may have damaged the park’s features, but it could never destroy the spirit of community that this park represents,” said Percy Rosenbloom III, President of the Memorial Park Association. “For almost 100 years, Memorial Park has been a shared public treasure for the entire Northeast Florida community. We are grateful to the community for its outpouring of support following Hurricane Irma.”
The Memorial Park Association will also host a cleanup Saturday, September 23 at 8 a.m. Members of the community who are interested in volunteering are encouraged to bring gloves and rakes, and wear closed-toe shoes.
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About Memorial Park and the Memorial Park Association:
Memorial Park is located at 1620 Riverside Ave., between Margaret Street and Memorial Park Drive in Riverside near the Five Points area of Jacksonville, Fla. Established in 1986, the Memorial Park Association is a nonprofit charitable organization serving its mission to enhance, promote and preserve Memorial Park as the premier historic park in the City of Jacksonville.
Designed by the famed Olmsted Brothers and dedicated on Dec. 25, 1924, it is the only park in the state dedicated to the 1,220 Floridians who lost their lives in service during World War I. In 2012, the Memorial Park Association initiated major planning efforts to restore and rehabilitate Memorial Park to its original grandeur, culminating in the development of a viable master plan that will serve as the foundation for continued restoration efforts.
Learn more about Memorial Park and the Memorial Park Association here or visit them on Facebook.
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