TCF of SWMB - Memorial Garden

We need not walk alone. We are the Compassionate Friends.

Memorial Garden

CEMETERY PROJECT 1990 - 1997

Spring 1990 - A young mother was attending her baby's grave and through her tears she saw nothing but a bleak barren field of dried grass and tiny graves. Some of those graves had flowers and markers but many were battered and unkept. She brought her concerns to a TCF sharing meeting and soon after a committee was formed which took on the challenge of making improvements to the Children's Section of the Brandon Cemetery.

Phase I brought many changes through the cooperation of the City Parks Board and donations from the community. These changes included a 5' granite monument, a wrought-iron archway, concrete planters, benches, flower beds and a border of spruce trees. Phase II began in the spring of '95 with additional planters, benches, relocation of the archway, an additional base for the monument a new water line and flowers.....lots of flowers

It was our vision that the Children's Cemetery would someday be a rainbow garden of flowers...a quiet corner to be with our memories and feel the love that we once knew. Whether your child is buried here, in your own home town, or perhaps the moment feels right to name that child who would have been..... whatever your reason, it is our hope that this childrens' area provides us with a symbolic haven which will represent ALL the children for whom our hearts ache. An annual Memorial Service and Balloon Release is held at the cemetery in conjunction with the May TCF/SWMB 'Need To' Weekend.

This cemetery project was a pretty big undertaking for a small organization like ours, but we all pulled together and made a real difference. We developed this little acre into a pretty rainbow garden filled with memories and butterflies.

THANK YOU and a BIG TCF HUG to those who helped make our vision a reality....

LOIS THIES ~ for initiating this project in memory of Michelle Joyce Thies 86/10/27 -87/03/18

GUINN BROS. MEMORIALS ~ Lee Myrah, ~ Neepawa, MB

(While Lee is no longer the owner of Guinn Bros, we thank him for his support over the years)

~ 5' Granite Monument (1991)

~ 18" Granite Base for monument (1996)

~ Granite Memorial Plaque (1996)

GLENDALE INDUSTRIES LTD. ~ Bill Hamilton

~ Rod iron 8' Archway (1991)

~ Brass Memorial Plaque (1991)

~ Rod Iron 6' side extensions for archway (1995)

~ in memory of his grandson, Kelsey James Dane 89/11/11 - 89/11/12

CITY PARKS BOARD

~ Archway installation

~ Water Line

~ Planting of Trees

~ Additional Flower Beds

~ Landscaping

~ Tremendous staff support

WESTERN CONCRETE ~ concrete planter (1991)

WHEAT CITY CONCRETE ~ concrete planter (1991)

PATMORE'S NURSERY ~ Landscaping Consultations (1994)

HONDA LAND BODY SHOP ~ Maintenance of archway by Mike Catling (1994)

BROCKIE-DONOVANS LTD.~ New grave markers (1991)

C&C CONSTRUCTION ~ Kerry Campbell and Family

~ 2 concrete park benches (1991)

~ 1 18" concrete circular planter (1996)

~ 2 4' rectangle concrete planters (1996)

~ 4 2' rectangle concrete planters (1996)

~ 1 6' circular brick planter (1996)

~ 2 18" concrete octogon planters (1996)

~ cedar shrubs and landscaping (1996)

~ in memory of Kristopher Daniel Campbell 78/05/29 - 95/06/18

A. E. McKENZIE LTD.

~ 1200 tulip bulbs (1996)

~ in memory of Robert Justin Winchester 83/11/30 -96/06/12

AREIAL LIGHTING SERVICES - Proprietor: Jim Ball

~ Installation of lighting system (1996)

EECOL ELECTRIC LTD

~ Installation of lighting system (1996)

CROWN INDUSTRIES - Winnipeg/Brandon

~ Installation of underground wiring (1996).

TCF MEMBERS and FRIENDS

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT!