TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Erie County's Tribute Garden in Isle View Park is believed to be the first of its kind on public land. It's designed to raise awareness around domestic violence while honoring victims and survivors.
Karen King of the Erie County Status of Women Commission there garden is “also a space where you can gather information through our kiosk and information about resources that are available in our community, if you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship and needs help."
According to the the National Coalition against Domestic Violence “domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse.”
On Saturday, a celebration of the Tribute Garden's fifth anniversary will be held. A poem will be unveiled on the stone steps of the berm.
It's a true community project from beginning to end.
Cornell cooperative extension master gardeners offer service learning opportunities for for middle and high school students.
“We believe it's been instrumental in exposing the problem and also teaching young people what they can do if they know someone who is impacted by domestic violence and the resources that are available. it also helps d to support a program called teen relationship violence awareness program,” King said.
