GOSHEN – Three Middle Township families and friends gathered at the Davies Sports Complex May 4 for a Memory Lane tree dedication in the area adjacent to the hockey rink. A special blessing of trees along Memory Lane was given by Pastor Jeff Savage of Lighthouse Church after a brief address by Mayor Timothy Donohue.
Gathering close for the ceremony were the Belles, Conlow and Clark families.
Donohue recalled an ancient Greek proverb “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” He also noted the number of children in attendance whose grandparents were memorialized by the trees.
Fred Conlow, who wife, Maria Josephine “Josie” Conlow, for whom the first tree was dedicated, told the assembly he never quite understood the saying, “A man works from sun to sun but a woman’s work is never done” until her passing. Then he found out how busy her life had been. He urged everyone to always cherish their loved ones.
Family members gathered after to place a plaque denoting her name.
Next, Donohue walked a few steps away where another tree was placed in memory of Nan and Pop Belles. It was there that Savage spoke of the biblical references to trees. He then offered a blessing for the trees and also for the one to be dedicated to Ryan Clark.
It was there, too, that the Belles brothers Walt Sr., Jimmy and Billy III joined to place the plaque dedicating the tree.
When the brief ceremony concluded, each family began to arrange photographs with young and old crowding close to the saplings that became special to each of them.
The Clark tree was dedicated in another section of Memory Lane.
The Memory Lane program was recently revitalized by the township and is coordinated by Tammy Devitt, director of the Goshen Recreation Complex.
Memory Lane trees are throughout the entire grounds at the complex with memory plates at each tree.
Any Middle Township resident interested in purchasing a tree in memory of loved ones should contact Devitt at tdevitt@middletownship.com or (609) 465-8743.
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