TMC participates in Tucson Butterfly Trail; honors children lost in Holocaust
January 4, 2017 by
“Tucson Medical Center last week put the finishing touches on the Butterfly Bridge, an art installation meant to memorialize the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust and honoring the survivors.
TMC’s bridge, which is part of the walking path that encircles the main hospital campus, features more than 500 ceramic butterflies that were hand-painted and glazed by TMC employees and volunteers, as well as members of the community who attended painting events at TMC Senior Services and TMC’s The Core at La Encantada.
It is the latest installation in a collective international effort to display 1.5 million butterflies as a symbol of renewed life.
There are seven locations throughout Tucson that are part of the trail including: Children’s Museum Tucson, Jewish History Museum, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tucson Jewish Community Center, University of Arizona Hillel and Congregation Chaverim (to be completed in early 2017).
TMC’s Butterfly Bridge is part of the Tucson Butterfly Trail, the vision and inspiration of Amy and Wayne Gould and their family.
“The ancient world had seven wonders. We are so proud that Tucson now has ‘seven stars’ in our beautiful constellation of the Butterfly Project trail of Hope and Remembrance,” Amy Gould said. “This project was lovingly brought to our special city to honor the infinite beauty in all children, particularly those who have been taken from us too soon.”
The project is part of the TMC Healing Art Program, which celebrates the role that art plays in building a healing environment, and may be seen on the bridge at the east side of Wyatt, just north of Glenn.
“I am deeply grateful to the TMC Foundation for funding this project and for the community’s participation in painting these symbols of hope and remembrance,” said Maya Luria, director of Senior Services. “It is our hope that it will inspire people to remember the past and simultaneously, resolve to do what they can in the present to work for a more peaceful future.”
For more information, please visit http://thebutterflyprojectnow.org
Carolyn’s note: I helped paint 2 of these butterflies as part of the TMC Senior Services program, but whether I’ll be able to recognize those two amongst all these butterflies will be a challenge. I was just happy to help complete the 500 butterflies in memory of these deceased children. I have yet to visit the Butterfly Bridge, a goal in 2017.
Dropped by the NE corner of Glenn St. and Wyatt, and viewed some of these lovely, colorful, ceramic butterflies on the bridge over the wash just east of that area. It’s a moving experience to see these butterflies, created & painted to remember the children lost in the WWII Holocaust. I couldn’t recognize either of the 2 butterflies I painted, but my efforts are among the 500 Tucson butterflies in town. Coincidentally today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.