In conjunction with Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the 2nd Annual Rotary Tree of Remembrance ceremony will be held Sunday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m. at Cordova Mall. The tree will be located inside the mall near the Dillard’s entrance. A choir will provide some sounds of the season as part of the program.
This annual project invites the families of our community to place ribbons bearing the names of loved ones and messages on the tree and to make a donation of their choice, which will support several local charities. Ribbons will be available from Dec. 7 through Dec. 28 at the tree. Volunteers will be available at all times for assistance. Donations made at the tree will support The Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, Gulf Coast Kids’ House, Covenant Hospice, Simon Youth Foundation, Rotary Local Charities and ARC Gateway.
To conclude this year’s Tree of Remembrance project, a non-denominational service will be held on Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3 p.m. at the tree. Following the service, checks will be presented to representatives of the benefiting charities. Rotary members will gather the ribbons and, after the holidays, local Boy Scouts will place them on a bed of embers.
In 2013, more than $5,000 was collected when the community’s first Rotary Tree of Remembrance made its debut at Cordova Mall. A total of 568 ribbons bearing the names of those who were remembered and special messages of love and hope decorated the tree during the holiday season.
This Rotary International community-service project is provided by the Rotary E-Club of South East USA and the Caribbean, Cordova Rotary Club and the combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola (CROP).
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/RotaryTreeofRemembrancePensacola.