Hana St. Juliana Memorial Garden in Oxford Seeks Funding for $50K Matching Grant
(Marisa Prince, May 29, 2024)
Oxford, MI – The family of Hana St. Juliana, a 14 year old who was murdered in the Oxford High School shooting on November 30, 2021, is seeking donations towards a garden that is being constructed to remember her and her classmates. The garden is designed to also remember Justin Shilling, Madisyn Balswin, and Tate Myre who are the other three students who lost their lives in the school shooting.
Hana’s name means “flower” in Japanese. Her family and friends remember her as someone who was beautiful both inside and out. Her mother, who is Japanese, hopes to see the flowers in Hana’s garden bloom every year even if Hana will only ever be in her heart. Everyone who loved Hana, Justin, Madisyn, and Tate will be able to visit Hana’s Garden as a peaceful place of remembrance. It will be located at Oxford’s Seymour Lake Park near the entrance to the park.
When asked to share what Hana was like, her sister Reina said “to know Hana is the greatest gift in life. To have her as my little sister was the best thing that ever happened to me. Although so many things, places, and people make me think of Hana, not everyone is lucky enough to have that. Hana, although indescribable in words, was an extremely giving person, whether it was her kindness, her smiles, her jokes, her gifts, her support, and so much more. She makes us want to give those who were robbed of the chance to get to know her or get to know her better, a place that you can still think, remember, and feel her. At the end of the day, this garden is made from all of the love for Hana. Although there is nothing that could ever make up for the loss of Hana, Justin, Tate, and Madisyn, it is important to keep their memories alive and hopefully this garden is one way that can help do that.”
While the family has undertaken many community fundraising efforts, Hana’s Garden has not reached the amount needed for the fruition of the final phase of the garden. There is currently a special opportunity to receive a grant for a match of $50,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation if $50,000 is raised in 50 Days, ending on June 21st.
As of now, over $30,000 has been raised from many generous donors. Help is needed to reach the required target by the deadline!
Four County Community Fund is managing the funds and many community contractors and businesses are assisting to make Hana’s Garden a reality.
Jennifer Curtis, a friend of the family and a member of the fundraising team shares this about the contractors who are helping, “In some ways, we’ve always been fighting an uphill battle for funding. When we realized we had a significant gap in funding, namely labor, we put out an ‘all call’ for local contractors to donate services. It was amazing to see how many people stepped up to help. I remember the first contractor meeting, the room was full with people who were eager to help. Excavators, gravel companies, brick pavers, electricians, water feature experts, landscape designers, concrete layers, all types of skilled trades. With only a few exceptions, we secured everyone needed to make the garden happen. Their dedication and contributions are a huge part of making the garden happen.
“It is now a little surreal to see that ground has been broken and construction has started. It has been two years since the initial fundraising and I am beyond excited to see the finished space – I am so happy for the family. I absolutely encourage people to donate during the matching time frame. This funding would allow the garden to be built as designed.”
Hana’s family and friends are asking that readers reach out to contacts in the corporate world and/or consider donating in order to help create a place that reflects even a little bit of the incandescent light that Hana brought to this world and to honor all of the victims – Justin, Madisyn, and Tate as well. Help make this garden in Oxford a place of healing and beauty.Laura Azoni, former recovery coordinator for Oxford Schools and local trauma therapist said this about the importance of Hana’s Garden, “while mass violence and traumatic grief bring ripple effects of inexplicable suffering across communities, Hana’s Garden serves as a gorgeous place of refuge and remembrance. Supporting and/or visiting Hana’s Garden is steering toward the ripple effects of healing.”
Link for more information and to donate : https://www.patronicity.com/
