Asbury Park to unveil Pulse Nightclub memorial

Asbury Park's Library Square Park will soon be home to the Orlando Memorial Grove. On Saturday, Sep. 17, 49 trees will be planted, one for each victim in the Pulse Nightclub shooting in June.

According to the Asbury Park Sun, the grove will be made up of varieties of flowering ornamental trees, provided at cost by Barlow’s Flower Farm in Sea Girt. The planting will include two varieties of Cherry trees, and three varieties of Redbud trees. Each tree will bear a plaque dedicated to one victim of the shooting.

In an official statement, Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said, “Asbury Park’s community came together immediately to respond to this tragedy.” Quinn added, “Members of the community wanted our support to be ongoing, weeks and months and years after the shooting. I was blown away by the generosity shown by Asbury Park in June, and by this permanent tribute and sign of that solidarity.”

After the planting takes place, Jaqueline Klosek of Sunshine Girl Charities Inc. and the mastermind behind this beautiful tribute will speak, as well as Deputy Mayor Quinn, Mayor John Moor, and Tom Pivinski of the Environmental and Shade Tree Commission.

The planting begins at 8 a.m. in Library Square Park. The speakers are expected to go on at around 11:30 a.m. depending on how fast the planting takes place.