POTTSVILLE, Pa. -- Volunteers in Pottsville will spend the weekend cleaning up a garden in one of the city's parks.
The garden at Bunker Hill Park in Pottsville serves as a memorial for six children killed in fires over the years. It has seen better days. It was put together five years ago after four children were killed in a house fire down the road.
It also serves as a memorial for two other children killed in another house fire two decades prior.
The garden has memorial stones with the names of each child on them. Those stones will be replaced.
"It's a nice thing to do. It's a nice thing to do for them," said Stine Pote.
Workers at Avenues, a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities, are making the new stones.
"It's not only a fun activity for them, but it also promotes self-worth. They're able to make something that other people and children are going to appreciate," said Holly Keff, Avenues director of community employment.
In addition to making the stones, the Avenues workers will also be donating flowers to the garden.
"We do a lot of community integration, getting our folks involved. Even though we're nonprofit, we always like to be able to turn around and give back to our local community as well," said Keff.
Each stone includes the child's name and some of his or her favorite toys.
"They're fantastic at picking out the colors and when we got the toys, we actually got them in the bags, and I helped them learn how to make a color scheme and make the whole project look like one," said Tori Correll, Avenues direct care staff.
The stones will be placed at the garden this weekend when the volunteers clean up the park. If you would like to participate, you can do so either Saturday or Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon.