Max Close And Alejandro Mercado Memorial Garden Dedication

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Jim O'Bryan
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Max Close And Alejandro Mercado Memorial Garden Dedication

Postby Jim O'Bryan » Tue May 25, 2021 7:56 pm

Max Close And Alejandro Mercado Memorial Garden Dedication

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Tonight in front of Lakewood High School a crowd gathered to celebrate the lives of LHS graduates Max Close and Alejandro Mercado. Many wore T-shirts with a photo of Max and Alejandro in their purple gowns on graduation day. With support from Lakewood Council of PTAs, West Shore Career-Tech, the City of Lakewood Forestry Manager Sam Bonvisutto, Volkswagen of Streetsboro, and teacher Shannon Snare and her horticulture classes, a memorial garden was created in front of the school in memory of the boys. Family members had a chance to address the group of friends, teachers and community members who came to express their sympathy and support.  The memorial plaque reads: In Loving Memory, Max Close, Alejandro Mercado, class of 2020, Always A Ranger, Forever In Our Hearts. 

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Brian Siftar wearing one of the shirts.

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Shannon Snare the LHS Horticulture teacher that helped plan the park.

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Bill DiMascio Executive Director of West Shore Career Tech. It was Westshore students that built the park

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Mason Orlando and Gabriel Surovey are the first recipients of the Close/Mercado Scholarship. Both plan on attending OSU.

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Alejandro and Max's family get copies of the plaque at the park.

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Alejandro's parents get up and thank the schools the students, the city, the residents and then broke down in tears on how happy they are they are to be residents of Lakewood.

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Max’s dad joined the Mercados thanking Lakewood.

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The students unveil the memorial marker.

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The families and friends gather around the marker.

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The Memorial Marker.

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And that concludes the ceremony.

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The Max Close and Alejandro Mercado Memorial Park

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The Max Close and Alejandro Mercado Memorial Park

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The Max Close and Alejandro Mercado Memorial Park

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As I was leaving I couldn't help but notice that Viktor Schreckengost's "Johnny Appleseed" was looking down and over the new Close/Mercado Memorial Garden.
Very nice indeed.

You can see all the photos at:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/jim-obryan/max-close-and-alejandra-mercado-memorial-garden-dedication-05252021

God Speed Max and Alejandro

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Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

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