The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone in one way or another, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Student Health Services has created a new Saluki Covid Memorial Garden to provide a quiet, healing place where anyone can come to relax, remember and reflect. The space will be formally dedicated at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 30, and everyone is welcome to attend.
The garden, on the east side of the Student Health Center, at 374 E. Grand Ave., features a swing, benches, a picnic table with umbrella, an abundance of beautiful flowers and a bird bath. The colorful memorial mural, which honors the resilience and contributions of the campus community during the long health crisis and provides a striking focal point for the garden, was created by Antonio Martinez, associate professor of photography/intermedia arts and head of undergraduate studies and community mural artist, and Jacob Yandle, 2023 MFA graduate and local artist.
Participants are also encouraged to bring a small, personalized memento to commemorate their experiences, celebrate a loved one, honor someone lost, recognize shared hopes or in some other way mark their own pandemic journeys. The items will be placed in a time capsule that will be buried in a safe garden location until a date to be determined.
For more information, email shcinfo@siu.edu or call 618-453-3311.
