Berkeley Community Teams Up To Plant Memorial Garden

BERKELEY, NJ — What began with the planting of three trees on Arbor Day has blossomed into a memorial garden at Veterans Park in Bayville.

The garden was planted in memory of people who have died over the past year. Founders Anita Morris and Michele Nesbihal gave people their choice of an annual or perennial flower to plant in the garden on May 13.

Participants wrote the names of their loved ones on cards and paired it with a flower. These names will soon be added to a commemorative plaque in the garden, according to Nesbihal.

“This past year it’s been very hard to attend funerals, so there’s a lot of people who haven’t been able to say goodbye to their loved ones in a manner that they’re used to,” Nesbihal said.

Nesbihal and Morris work at Keller Williams Preferred Properties in Bayville and planted the garden alongside their colleagues on Keller Williams’ "Red Day" on May 13, when all of its offices close to complete service projects in the community.

With Mayor Carmen Amato's approval, they decided to craft a memorial garden to give Berkeley residents a place to have closure with their loved ones after the COVID-19 pandemic limited the number of people who could attend funeral services this past year or canceled them entirely.

“There were a lot of folks I lost over the past year and a half, and we couldn’t go to their services either, and this was a way for me to say thanks for being my friend and to give them that send off and have a constant memory of them,” Morris said.

Local businesses donated supplies for the garden, including Colony Market, Moores Farm Market, Gasko’s Farm Market, Reliable Lawn Care, C&G Landscaping and Always Something Special.

Before the agents began planting flowers, the Parks and Recreation Department shaped the mulch into a heart and assembled stones in the garden.

“We are honored to be a small part of the memorial garden,” Amato told Patch. “When we discussed this project with Anita and her colleagues, we immediately embraced it. It is a wonderful and worthwhile project. The township appreciates their efforts and the efforts of all of our citizen volunteers who contribute to these types of community projects.”

Morris said the garden will continue to host events and plantings throughout the year, starting on Tuesday in honor of Memorial Day. Anyone wishing to celebrate a veteran in their life will be provided with a flag between 5 and 7 p.m. at Veterans Park.

A box of pens and cards have also been left at the garden for people to add names to any flowers that were unclaimed.

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