The Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign is installing “Open Hearts: A COVID Memorial” on their grounds Tuesday, January 19th. There will be a small dedication ceremony, with remarks from Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie Pryde, Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones, Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen, and UUCUC member Julie Laut and blessing from Reverend Caplow and Reverend Sally Fritsche.
From their website:
Nearly 375,000 people in the U.S. have died from the COVID-19 virus to date. With hospitalizations and deaths at an all-time high, that number will continue to grow. By the time vaccines allow us to return to some normalcy, each of us will have been touched personally in some way by this unimaginable loss of life. Our grieving has been compounded by the lack of compassionate leadership at the federal level and the inability to mourn our losses together. The Open Hearts memorial will provide a unique opportunity to draw our community together in a time when we feel too often disconnected.
Tuesday has also been designated a National Day of Mourning by the Biden Administration. The church will ring their bell at 4:30 p.m. in honor of the event.
Those who of have lost someone to COVID in Champaign County, can email [email protected] to have a heart will be personalized in their honor.
Top photo from UUCUC website.