New Copenhagen pavilion held up by the "tree of life" is about family, community and labors of love

Sep. 20—COPENHAGEN — In just over two months, Shari L. Simmons' tribute to her late husband and their community was completed with the help of family, friends, craftsmen and cooperation.

On Sunday, the Ted Simmons River Park Pavilion was dedicated in what was, like the pavilion project itself, a family affair on many levels. The Simmons family, the Copenhagen family and friends, individuals and organizations alike came together like family for the occasion.

For Mrs. Simmons, it was a project inspired by Theodore A. "Ted" Simmons, the love of her life, father of her children and husband of 42 years who died of cancer in 2019. He was 67.

"Ted was a great family man who loved our family like no other man could. He also was a great friend to our community ... to our local farming community ... a kind man to littles (children)," she said during the pavilion's dedication ceremony. "We miss him everyday ... I hope he looks down and protects us all as we enjoy this park."

Etched into one of the beams near the ceiling is "TS + SS" in a cupid's arrow-stricken heart, commemorating more than just the man.

Giving a brief history of the site, Mrs. Simmons said there was once a grist mill, a funeral parlor, a tin shop, horse stables, a post office, a grocery store, a restaurant and a "men's club" — whatever that was, she said, garnering some laughs — among many other buildings standing there over time.

While the green space was generally under utilized since the 1990s when the last large building was removed, Mrs. Simmons' vision has already started to become reality since the pavilion was completed at the end of last month.

"I have already seen some of what I had hoped for — families having a picnic, families eating ice cream, families taking pictures," she said, listing a number of things she can imagine people doing at the pavilion from yoga to group events, festivals to farmers markets. "The whole reason I started this was to make a place to gather ... to relax ... to sit by the river and reflect. A place where life slows down, even for 10 minutes."

The pavilion project and the dedication ceremony were the result of the Simmons family's focus on giving back to the community with the hope of inspiring others to do the same. It worked.

Once Mrs. Simmons got the project rolling, donations for everything from materials to furnishings flowed in and volunteers stepped up to help. Her list of heartfelt "thank-you's" was long, and it, too, started with her family.

Mrs. Simmons thanked her son Scott J. Simmons, who helped with ideas, cleaning out scrub brush and grading the pavilion's location; her daughter, Jamie L. Simmons, who helped her mother stay focused when she "needed a little push" and made all of the bright yellow signs around the park; and her gardening grandchildren.

Joyce and Mike Sullivan, Mrs. Simmons' sister and brother-in-law, barbecued chicken at the dedication and have pledged to donate the proceeds to Copenhagen CARES Collaborative for the upkeep of the new pavilion and park.

Copenhagen CARES — which stands for Community, Action, Resilience, Enhancement and Service — is a grassroots organization created by Christine A. Vogt — Mrs. Simmons and Mrs. Sullivan's sister. The group aims to make Copenhagen a more beautiful and community-focused place to live.

The group's three members have been instrumental throughout the pavilion project with countless volunteer hours, according to Mrs. Simmons, and provided perennial plants for landscaping the park. They also provided cake and punch at the commemorative event.

Mrs. Simmons acknowledged the Amish carpenter who built the pavilion, marvelling at his skill elevating the heavy wooden beams into place and many others who lent their talents in one form or another.

Although the project is mostly complete, two initiatives that will allow residents to memorialize their own family members are underway.

Mr. Simmons, with two fellow chain saw carvers — Dan Hartley formerly of Tennessee in the process of relocating to Copenhagen, and Doug Ryan of Pennsylvania — will create a 3D mural around the pavilion's tree trunk center pole, depicting images residents ask to be carved in memory of a loved one.

He dubbed the large pine harvested near Indian River the "tree of life" and carved the name shallowly with the tip of his chain saw down one side of the tree,

The cost of each carving will vary depending on size and design, Mr. Simmons said, and any funds beyond covering costs will also go to Copenhagen CARES.

Copenhagen CARES has engaged a company to build a handicap accessible commemorative brick walkway from the sidewalk to the pavilion.

Mayor Mark A. Souva, who attended the dedication, commended Mrs. Simmons and her family for their initiative.

"It's good for the community," he said. "I'm happy to see it. I think it's been long missing from this community. We need to get this going again."

To contact Copenhagen CARES Collaborative about a memorial brick or carving on the center pole, visit the organization's Facebook page or website at copenhagencares.com