COPE has dedicated a permanent labyrinth in Eisenhower Park’s Memorial Plaza, sustaining the bonds that connect us to our loved ones who have passed.
The labyrinth is an ancient symbolic path with healing and spiritual significance that dates back to the third millennium B.C.E. It has been used within many cultures and spiritual traditions throughout the world.
For many, labyrinths represent life’s journey or spiritual pilgrimage.
Walking the labyrinth often produces a calming, centering feeling. The alternating balancing motion can quiet one’s body, mind and spirit, often inducing a receptive state for meditation and contemplation in the center of the labyrinth.
Join others who are dedicating memorial bricks and honor your child, sibling, or loved one in this tranquil sacred space.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on June 25 for our annual Memorial Dedication Ceremony! Check out photos of our event below.
COPE has a permanent memorial labyrinth in Eisenhower Park’s Memorial Plaza, with bricks and benches dedicated to our children, siblings, and loved ones. Consider honoring your loved one with an engraved brick or bench in this special location.
To read a Wall Street Journal article on labyrinths, please click here.
Thank you to those who were able to join us for our dedication ceremony. For those of you who were unable to attend, please see below the touching words of Lilly Julien, COPE’s founder.
Today we are dedicating benches and bricks at our beautiful labyrinth in loving memory of our beloved children, siblings and loved ones—who remain a cherished part of our lives.
It’s not easy being here today. Seeing our loved ones’ names etched in stone is a very harsh reality of their absence. It is our tragic losses that connect us.
There’s a lot of love pouring in and surrounding this path—connecting us with them and also with each other.
As we honor them today, I choose to think that they’re with us, and feeling our love.
I’ve been told that butterflies, like birds, carry messages. Because they fly at a very high frequency they can pick up vibrations of our loved ones and be a sign of their presence.
On the day of the brick installation, I was sitting here on a bench planning the dedication. A butterfly hovered close by and rested on my arm. It fluttered from my arm to my neck, to my face, and to my lips. It then flew to the man who installed our labyrinth and lingered by him. I couldn’t help but think that it was a message from our loved ones saying, “Thank You”.
After the bricks were laid, I walked around. As I read each brick and plaque, I experienced an outpouring of love. Your words are powerful. They bring an energy into the labyrinth that connects us to those we love. Like the heart, the labyrinth is a container that holds our love and energy. When our hearts are open, they grow bigger. And they’re able to hold both our love, and our pain.
Nearly 25 years ago, after the loss of my daughter Michelle, she came to me in a dream. Her words were the inspiration of COPE and all that it stands for. She said to me, “I’m okay. You’re the ones who aren’t okay. And you need to reach out and help each other.” That’s exactly what each one of you is doing every time you reach out to another person who has lost a loved one, each time you reach out to another bereaved parent, sibling, or friend.
This is how we are embracing our community. The next level of healing is helping. In helping each other we help ourselves. With help comes hope.
I believe our children have brought us together. How ironic that our COPE memorial would be a labyrinth…Connecting Our Paths Eternally; bringing us together on this sacred ground, surrounded by a circle of bricks dedicated to our beloved children, siblings, and loved ones.
COPE, parents and siblings, shared readings about the labyrinth…
The labyrinth is an ancient symbolic path, thousands of years old, with healing and spiritual significance. It can represent life’s journey or a spiritual pilgrimage.
Unlike a maze with its tricks and dead ends, the labyrinth has only one path that takes you to the center, a place for rest, prayer, or meditation. The same path then leads you out again.
Walking the labyrinth often produces a calming, centering feeling. The constant turning, required by the path, calms the mind and quiets the body, inducing a receptive state for meditation and contemplation.
By walking a labyrinth, we are taking the time to connect with ourselves, to heal, find peace, and reach out to our loved ones.
As you begin to walk the labyrinth there is a releasing, a letting go of the details of your life. This act of shedding thoughts and emotions quiets and empties the mind.
When you reach the center, you’ve reached a place of openness, where you can remember and receive. Finally you leave the center renewed and ready to return.
Walking the labyrinth in a group teaches us that we are all on the path together, even though we may be in different places on our journey.We then formed a circle standing by our dedicated benches and bricks and said the names of our children, siblings, and loved ones.
The following are the names of your cherished loved ones to whom you have dedicated your benches and bricks…
- Dedicated bench for MICHAEL SCOTT BLOOMBERG
- Dedicated bench for RUSSELL HUNTER CIOLLI & CHRISTOPHER MARQUARDT
- Dedicated bench for CHRISTINA ELYSE ANGELO
- Dedicated bench for SAMANTHA ROSE MERGENTIME
- Dedicated bench for JENNIFER TAYLOR BELL
- Dedicated founder’s bench for MICHELLE JULIEN, DAVID BERG, SHARON GALLUCCI
Eisenhower Park
East Meadow, NY 11554
(516) 832-2673
Once in Eisenhower Park:
Follow the signs for the Lannin House or Field 6A across the parking lot (#6) from the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater. You will see a large stone building with a small parking lot in front of it. The COPE Labyrinth is located behind the building.
The address for Eisenhower Park, if you are using a navigation system, is:
Eisenhower Park
1899 Hempstead Tpke
East Meadow, NY 11554
SUSAN BENDER
CAPANELLI
FOREVER LOVED
LOVE YOU
MOM DAD & JENN
ON
EAGLE’S WINGS
ALWAYS WITH US
FOREVER LOVED
FOREVER LOVED
MOM STEVEN AMY
ALWAYS WITH US
MICHAEL SCOTT
BLOOMBERG
MUCH LOVED
CANTOR DAVID
TAUBER-WIENER
HEATH A. BOGIN
FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
BRIAN SCOTT
BAIKO
MY BELOVED SON
KENNETH DITZEL
A GOOD MAN
FOREVER LOVED
JOSHUA LINK
FOREVER LOVED
ALWAYS WITH US
OUR BORROWED
ANGEL
REBEKAH FRUCHT
RUSSELL CIOLLI
1972-2011
FOREVER MISSED
MIKE DIMARIA
UNTIL WE
MEET AGAIN
FOR RACHEL
WE WILL LOVE
YOU ALWAYS
IN MEMORY OF
DEBORAH BARNES
WE LOVE YOU
NICOLE T RUSSO
MY SWEET ANGEL
LOVE YOU, MOM
REBECCA”BECCA”
AT PEACE WITH
JAMES E GUERIN
JANNA SAGE
TOO CLOSE TO
NOT BE CLOSE
KELLY C BURTON
REST IN PEACE
1985 – 2013
KARA
SATALLANTE
1989 – 2011
SPORTS, LOVE FUN,
LAUGHTER
SANDY-ALFRED
LOVE’S ETERNAL
KERRI MARIE
JACKOWSKI
ROBBY MINER
8/7/87-1/3/13
U.S. NAVY MA 2
SHAUN BRALA
6/4/90-1/24/12
CHLOE WEIL
6/21/85-7/7/14
UR MY SUNSHINE
JEFF GOLDSMITH
“RESILIENT”
LOVE ALWAYS
IN MEMORY OF
ANDREW BURROUS
FOREVER LOVED!
KEVIN “213”
FOREVER LOVED
1968-2005
ADAM SANDERS
SOMEWHERE OVER
THE RAINBOW
IN LOVING
MEMORY OF
PETER CORPUEL
REMEMBERING
PETER CORPUEL
EMERMAN FAMILY
LORI MACKSON
SCHIFFER
THE BEST
FOREVER LOVED
HEATH BOGIN
THE VERY BEST
DOMINIC AMODEO
LOVE U FOREVER
7/18/88-9/7/10
IN MEMORY OF
CJ NEUMANN
THEBEATLIVESON
STACEY KESSLER
ALWAYS IN
OUR HEARTS
CHRISTOPHER
MARQUARDT
FOREVER LOVED
IN MEMORY OF
SHARON NICOLE
GALLUCCI
MIKEY RICATTO
LOVING SON
“FOREVER 29”
RYAN L SIMS
CHERISHED SON
BROTHER FRIEND
KALMAN & JOAN
SLOVIN
WE MISS YOU
IN MEMORY OF
OUR BROTHER
RICK PRINCE
KEITH PETERS
STAR ON EARTH
STAR IN HEAVEN
SAMUEL
ROSENBLATT
MY DAD
NICOLE NOGID
LIVES FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
DAVID J. BERG
LOVE U FOREVER
MOM DAD ERICA
BRIAN KAMINSKY
MADDIE’S DADDY
LOVE U FOREVER
TIARA DURHAM
5-25-1993
I CAME TO FLY
STEPHEN CLARK
FOREVER YOUNG
FOREVER LOVED
MISSING ARAM
GOOD NIGHT
SWEET PRINCE
IN MEMORY OF
BARBARA
APPELBAUM
OUR LOVE LIVES
ROBERT JULIEN
GWYN SULLIVAN
WE MISS YOU
SEAN & WILL
LIZ CLOSTER
FOREVER OUR
MOUNTAIN GIRL
IN OUR HEARTS
BARBARA ROGERS
DEVOTED MOTHER
MY BELOVED
LAWRENCE
LOVE ALWAYS
BRIAN J. HOM
WHOM WE LOVE
AND MISS
GIAVANNA MARIE
MELOMO
LOVE OUR ANGEL
JESSE RADOWITZ
5/3/77-5/6/07
MISSED♥♥LOVED
SPENCER WEISS
IN OUR HEARTS
FOREVER
SEMPER FI
JAY BELOVED
BROTHER & SON
HILDA & HARRY
KIRSCH
INTEGRITY
GILAD VADAY
FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
PETER KALISCIK
FOREVER YOUNG
8/13/88-5/1/13
LOVING MEMORY
OF MIKE YEDID
SON & BROTHER
WE LOVE YOU
JAY W. PIEL
FOREVER
FRAN SHARP
AUSLANDER
FOREVER
MICHAEL LASSIG
LOVED & MISSED
EVERY DAY
IN LOVING
MEMORY OF
SHAWN TIERNEY
DEAREST ADAM
KEEP “SMILING”
DOWN ON US
CHRISTINA E
ANGELO
1989-2010
FOREVER IN OUR
HEARTS
ALYSSA SEAMAN
SARITA
ROBINSON
LOVED BY ALL
5 JULS
ETERNALLY
IN OUR HEARTS
OUR ANGEL
ANTHONY JOSEPH
KRAYEWSKI
BRENDAN ADAM
CLIFFORDDESENA
9+24+908+16+12
CHRISTOPHER A
GUEZZE
8+2+90 2+18+11
OUR MICHELLE
YOU LIVE ON IN
ELI AND ZOE
KRAMER FUCHS B
SEYMOUR EVELYN
CELIA ADOLF
BRAD LEFFE
OUR RAY OF
SUNSHINE
ADELE & SAMUEL
KEENHOLTZ
FOREVER LOVED
JESSE RUSCIANO
FOREVER LOVED
FOREVER 25
DAVID “COOP”
COOPERMAN
FOREVER LOVED
NOAH S. SHER
WE LOVE YOU
SHER FAMILY
ERIC C. DOLL
SOUL RIDER
ALWAYS WITH US
STEVEN TASSIS
MY BELOVED SON
SO VERY MISSED
NICHOLAS RICCI
MY EVERYTHING
LOVE U, MOM
LAUREN REED
YOUR BEAUTY
LIVES ON
M & A DEFALCO
MUSIC OF MY
MY LOVE, DONNAD
IN MEMORY OF
JACLYN D.MOORE
LOVE MNSA 2016
IN OUR HEARTS
SKATE BOARDING
MIKE BOSCIANO
JACOB H. ROTH
…YOUR SMILE
SHINES FOREVER
LEE ANDREW
LOVINGANDLOVED
FOREVERAMONGUS
SUSAN W. COBEN
LIVES FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
BRIAN E. DIONE
BELOVED SON
BROTHER
KLK, BABY THOR
LOVE U MISS U
BEAUTIFUL BOY
IN MEMORY OF
KENNETH LIAM
KREUSCHER
GAIL HARRIS
UNTIL WE
MEET AGAIN
STEVEN WOLKOFF
1977 – 2008
LOVE FOREVER
CLAUDIA & RAUL
BELOVED SISTER
& DAD FOREVER
TO OUR MOTHER
RACHEL
WE LOVE YOU
JAMES PRESCOTT
1968 – 2014
FOREVER LOVED
FOREVER IN OUR
HEARTS
MICHAEL FAILLA
ZAYNA CONNOLLY
2012 – 2015
BE HAPPY
JAVIERTA“JAVI”
MY SWEET ANGEL
LOVE YOU, MOM
LARRY
ALAS HE CAN
DIED WITH HIS
MARCUS
NOT SING, BUT
MUSIC IN HIM
JULIA
BRIGHT, STRONG
MISS AND LOVE
ZELMANOVICH,MD
COMPASSIONATE
YOU FOREVER
BRYAN L. REAVY
8/15/99-4/7/18
FRIENDS FOREVER
SKYDIVING
SOARING HIGH
ALEXIS HELENA
LIKE A BIRD
A SHOOTINGSTAR
ZAYAS ♥ ♥ ♥
STEVEN A STEEN
FOREVER LOVED
WITH US ALWAYS
JUDY, YOU ARE
IN MY HEART &
SOUL FOREVER!
FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
JOSEPH NICKEL
KEVIN KEATING
COURAGEOUS SON
BE AT PEACE
PAT POSILLICO
FOREVER LOVED
FOREVER MISSED
ROSA MARIA
I LOVE AND
MISS YOU MOM.
PATRICK MURPHY
UNTIL WE
MEET AGAIN
JEFF BELL
MISSED SO MUCH
MOM,DAD,RACH
FRANK ROBINSON
ALWAYS LOVED
FOREVER MISSED
TARANJIT KAUR
PARMAR
FOREVER MISSED
DAVE GREENBERG
FOREVER
OUR LOVE
FRAN AND BOB
MICHELSON
LOVING PARENTS
♡ CHRISTINE ♡
GUARDIANO
IN LITE & LOVE
SCOTT WEINGARD
BONNIE & STEVE
IN OUR HEARTS
♡ KATIE♡
MCLAUGHLIN
IN OUR HEARTS
KIRSTEN WE ♡ U
ALWAYS & 4EVER
1988 – 2015
LINDA DAWN
FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
STEFAN LINDE
MUSICAL SOUL
1980-2017?
MICHAEL C.
CASTELLANO
LOVE YOU, MOM
PATRIC MARTIN
ALWAYS LOVED
OUR HEART ♡
RALPHIE
5/12/93-5/6/18
FOREVER LOVED
TRINITY ALEXIS
A WILD FLOWER
WE LOVE YOU XO
PROVERBS 19:21
WE LOVE YOU
“JOE-BEAR”
DINO LEZAJA
SON & BROTHER
WITH OUR LORD
FRANKIE
BELOVED
SON & BROTHER
IN MEMORY OF
GAYLE CALLEGARI
LOVING MOM NANA
SEAN ALGER
LOVE U FOREVER
6/30/86 – 6/15/10
RAYMOND J RUE
FOREVER LOVED
FOREVER YOUNG
OUR
BORROWEDANGEL
CHEECH 2019
DANA EWALD
ALWAYS
IN OUR HEARTS
CIEL WILLIAMS
FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
MICHELLECILLA-FITCH
9/11/80-7/2/18
JUSTIN TYMEFOREVER
LOVED
FOREVER MISSED
DAVI FOREVER
IN OUR HEARTS
ROBIN FRANK
DTR-BEST FRIEND
LOVE U MOMMY
VIC DABRUZZI JR
CHERISHED XOXO
2/1/50-6/18/02
NICK TURTOLA
RIDE ON FREE
FOREVER LOVED
Eliana Tale
Always Loved,
Forever With Us
BENNY CIUFFO
Forever
In Our Hearts
ETERNAL LOVE
INFINITE LIGHT
LOUIS J. ALBANO
PAULHELENEBRIAN
ALLLABOUTMUSIC
THE12thOFNEVER
Adam G. Belman
Loving Memory
Mom & Dad ️
Nicole Novick
Our Star
Shines 4 Ever
ANYU APU
ENDLESS COURAGE
ENDLESS LOVE
DEBBIE ADAM
PLAYING
LIKE CHILDREN
SWEET SHIRLEY
MOTHER IN LAW
LIKE A MOTHER
NOAH ZACK
OUR ANGELS
IN HEAVEN
JUSTIN A CARLO
ANGEL WARRIOR
GREATEST SON
JEANETTE GEYER
MACCHIO CUGINA
FOREVER LOVED
DANIEL
YOU’RE A STAR
1997 – 2018