The Covid-19 pandemic left an indelible mark on communities across the world, and Monterey County was no exception. In our county alone, 940 of our neighbors lost their lives to the virus. Behind each of those numbers was a person, a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, a friend, whose life mattered deeply to their loved ones and to our community.
That is why the creation of the Covid-19 Memorial Garden and Reflection Park at the Monterey County Government Center in Salinas is so important.
Memorials serve a vital role in our society. They give us a place to remember, to reflect and to heal. For families who lost loved ones during the pandemic, the grief was often compounded by the circumstances of the time. Many people were unable to hold traditional funerals or memorial services because of public health restrictions. Families could not gather in large numbers, and many were unable to say goodbye in the ways they would have wanted. In many cases, people experienced their grief in isolation.
The Covid-19 Memorial Garden provides a permanent place where families, friends and community members can come together to honor those who were lost. It creates a space for reflection, remembrance and healing. It also ensures that the profound impact of the pandemic on our community will not be forgotten.
Located at the Monterey County Government Center, the Memorial Garden is intentionally placed at the heart of county government. This is significant. It reflects the responsibility that government has to remember the lives that were lost and to acknowledge the extraordinary challenges our community faced.
By situating the memorial at this civic center, we are making a statement that these 940 lives mattered and that their memory will remain a part of our county’s history.
The design of the memorial itself carries powerful symbolism. The beautiful colored glass art installation, designed by local artists Shelby and Taylor Hawthorne, consists of five pieces, representing each of Monterey County’s five supervisorial districts. Together, they represent the unity of our communities across the county during a time when people came together to support one another. Healthcare workers, first responders, farmworkers, grocery store employees, VIDA community health workers and volunteers all stepped forward to help keep our communities safe and functioning.
In addition to honoring those we lost, the memorial also recognizes the survivors and the countless community heroes who rose to the occasion during one of the most challenging periods in modern history. Many people worked tirelessly, often at great personal risk, to care for the sick, distribute food, provide housing assistance and ensure that vital services continued. Many of those were our own dedicated county government employees.
The reflection park also serves an important educational purpose. For future generations, it will stand as a reminder of the sacrifices, resilience, and compassion that defined our community during the pandemic. Young people who visit the memorial in the years to come will learn about a difficult chapter in our history and about the ways in which people came together to support one another.
At its core, the Covid-19 Memorial Garden is about remembrance and humanity. It reminds us that the pandemic was not just a public health crisis measured in statistics and charts. It was a deeply personal experience that affected families across every community in Monterey County.
The County of Monterey is deeply grateful to the many generous donors, supporters, and partners who helped make this project possible.
In the years ahead, the Covid-19 Memorial Garden and Reflection Park will stand as a lasting tribute to the strength, compassion and resilience of the people of Monterey County.
Luis Alejo is a Monterey County Supervisor for District 1, representing most of the city limits of Salinas.
