Help center dedicating peace garden

The Women's Help Center will dedicate the newly designed Joyce Murtha Peace Garden at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 5. Phase I of the Peace Garden Project is complete and consists of two components. The “Freedom Walk,” a paved, illuminated walkway and established pathways, with tree and flower plantings, extends from the main entrance of the facility to the rear parking lot.

A “Peace Sanctuary” includes a flagstone sitting area with tables and benches, a colorful landscape of boulders, sandstone, shrubbery, ornamental grasses, perennial and wildflower beds, and a memorial pedestal fountain. All garden amenities have been sponsored through the commitment of individual and corporate donors throughout the community.

The symbolism attached to the Peace Garden Project is multi-faceted: mourning those who have lost their lives as a result of domestic violence; celebrating those who survived; reaffirming the mission to serve victims; and com...