The annual Ceremony of Remembrance hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum takes place Saturday, Sept. 23, rescheduled from last weekend because of the storm.
The event begins at 1 p.m. and provides a space for families whose children have died to gather together in support and memory. Bricks dedicated to children now ring the lighthouse.
The memorial was created in 2001 and is maintained by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, said Heather Seger, executive director for the museum.
“It was the idea of a gentleman named Rick Harrington, who had lost a child of his own and wanted to do something to help to bring families together in their grief,” she said.
This year, Edgartown poet laureate Steve Ewing, who has a family member memorialized at the lighthouse, will read a poem. Ms. Seger will then speak on behalf of the museum.
“It’s a community that is really special, and there’s just incredible support that they offer to one another,” Ms. Seger said. “It’s really a chance to gather and to be with others who understand what they’re going through.”
Museum staff will also be on hand to help people find individual cobblestones and will have markers for families who want to fill in parts of the stones’ lettering that may have weathered over time.
Anyone who wants to have a name added to the memorial can reach out to the museum staff, who can help guide them through the process.
“The lighthouse is a great symbol for navigating through the darkness and the storm that grief can bring,” Ms. Seger said.
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