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Jan 13, 2024

Fairlawn Heights butterfly garden

By Jon | on August 24, 2023 Photos courtesy of Ted Keener WEST AKRON — The Fairlawn Heights Neighborhood Association Aug. 10 unveiled a Butterfly Garden at Fairlawn Boulevard and south end at

By Jon | on August 24, 2023

Photos courtesy of Ted Keener

WEST AKRON — The Fairlawn Heights Neighborhood Association Aug. 10 unveiled a Butterfly Garden at Fairlawn Boulevard and south end at Stockbridge Avenue to remember friends and family who have died, with about 75 people in attendance. The ceremony included singing “America the Beautiful” and blessings led by Father Cameron Popik, of St. Hilary Catholic Church, and Rabbi Joshua Brown, of Temple Israel. In addition, children and adults were invited to plant a butterfly stake in memory of a friend or family member, including a pet, who has died. Shown at right is Iris Hamlin planting one of those butterfly stakes.Plants and trees in the garden, designed by Suzie Dempster of Blooming Flowers Design, include cone flowers, seven-son flower, viburnum, black-eyed Susan and a butterfly bush. The garden, pictured at near right, also has a Don Drumm-designed butterfly bush bench. Money for the garden was raised through the neighborhoods home tour from last year, according to neighborhood officials.“Our new Butterfly Garden provides a place for our residents to stop, appreciate the beauty of our neighborhood which surrounds us, to remember those who are no longer with us and how special they were and still are, and to pause and take time to remember what is truly important and what the real priorities of our lives are,” said Chris Misanko, one of the garden planners.