Mosaic bench an effort of community coming together in memory of Oregon District shooting victims
Jul. 12—Paying tribute to the victims of the Aug. 4, 2019 shooting in Dayton's Oregon District, area volunteers have created a mosaic bench that is part of a larger "Seed of Life" memorial.
The volunteers gathered Thursday at the Dayton Metro Library to complete the mosaic. Spearheaded by the Mosaic Institute, the event inside the library's Opportunity Center was the final gathering of more than 40 sessions across the region that have taken place since January in the creation of the mosaic. It is one of five essential components of the memorial which include a poem, sculpture, bench and plantings.
The "Seed of Life" design team consists of architect/sculptor and team leader Terry Welker, artist and community builder Jes McMillan, poet, educator and community builder Sierra Leone, and artist, designer and community builder James Pate.
"We've given as many people as we could the opportunity to come and spend time with us to take part in this project," said McMillan, founder and executive director of the Mosaic Institute. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of those that had the ability and the courage to show up and work toward the healing of us all. Over 10,000 people touched this mosaic. I'm just humbled by the sheer amount of people that showed up with love and hope and answered the call that we put out."
A poem by Leone will rest on the back of the 36-foot-wide "Unity Bench." Volunteers of all ages met around a large, long table to glue aqua-colored tiles around its letters and enjoyed the camaraderie of collaboration.
"It's great to see so many people coming together, which shows you how much the community can do if we work together," said Patricia Marx of Brookville, a former Dayton Public Schools special education teacher. "This is so impressive. I used to be in the arts, in fabric design, and it is a great release for me."
Kim Bramlage of Dayton and Christa Estes Smith of Oakwood were also motivated to participate due to the emphasis on community involvement.
"Being a part of this is therapeutic," said Bramlage, marketing communications manager for Five Rivers Health Centers.
"It feels very good to give back to our community and honor those whose lives were taken too soon," Smith echoed.
The memorial, which will reside in a plaza next to the Trolley Stop in the Oregon District, will honor the following victims: Megan Betts, 22; Monika Brickhouse, 39; Nicholas Cumer, 25; Derrick Fudge, 57; Thomas McNichols, 25; Lois Oglesby, 27; Saeed Saleh, 38; Logan Turner, 30; and Beatrice Warren-Curtis, 36.
Looking back on the sessions, organizers are pleased with the results artistically and emotionally.
"We have had great turnouts which have been beautiful," said Kristin Deck, director of operations and volunteer coordinator for the Mosaic Institute. "This project has been uplifting and encouraging. It's wonderful to know people wanted to do something with their grief to make it into something beautiful. The conversations that have happened around this table have produced interesting and sometimes difficult interactions but it has been really healing. It has been healing in a spirit of moving forward."
The "Seed of Life" memorial will be unveiled and dedicated from 3-4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4, the fifth anniversary of the Oregon District tragedy, at the site located at 530 E. Fifth St.
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How to participate
Volunteers are needed to grout and clean the mosaic at 8 a.m. Sunday, July 14 and Monday, July 15 at the memorial site, located at 530 E. Fifth St. If you would like to participate, call the Mosaic Institute at 937-369-0835 or visit 8-4memorial.com.
