---

What began with a telephone call from Jacqueline Klosek of the Sunshine Girls has grown into a community wide campaign now in search of volunteers.

“I, like so many people around the country and all over the world, was really distraught over the horrific, hateful attack in Orlando,” Klosek said in a written social media post. “And like many people, I wanted to do something, whatever small thing I could do, to respond in some way to the massacre.”

Klosek’s Manasquan based nonprofit focuses its support toward the needs of children, animals, and the environment.

Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said Klosek reached out to the city with the proposal to donate 49 trees in honor of the fatal victims of the June 12 shooting at the Pulse nightclub that wounded 53 others. City officials accepted.

“We are sister cities, in terms of diversity,” Quinn said. “Who wasn’t heartbroken when this happened. For many in the gay and lesbian community the bars and restaurants are the one place you feel safe.”

Now a group of organizers are seeking volunteers to help with a mass planting, slated to begin at 8 a.m. Sept. 17 at Library Square Park. Each tree will include a plaque inscribed in honor of the 49 people who died, Quinn said.

“The trees will be spread out throughout the park and we hope to put benches near them,” she said.

The day’s event will be attended by the mass shooting’s victims who survived as well as family members of those who died, organizer David Hoffman of Georgies said.

“Currently we have four or five people who will be attending,” he said. “One was a hostage who will be speaking.”

As with the immediate vigils and fundraisers held in June to support of the victims and their families, The Asbury, Georgies, Hotel Tides, Paradise, Watermark and Garden State Equality have united to organize events throughout the weekend, culminating with a headliner performance at The Asbury on Sept. 18.

The events are being planned as a show of support, especially for those working through survivor’s remorse, he said.

The Memorial Grove tree planting ceremony will also include a performance by the Lakehouse Music Academy kids, Quinn said.

Behind the scenes city officials are working with the Environment Shade Tree Committee’s Tom Pivinski and Stephen Barlow of Barlow’s Flowers in Sea Girt who will help with the donated trees valued at $5,000.

The city’s Department of Public Works will assist Armstrong Tree Service of Ocean in the removal of the existing trees, many of which are dead from Super Storm Sandy, Quinn said. Armstrong will remove the trees at a drastically reduced rate, Quinn said.

For more information, donation and volunteer signup, visit the Sunshine Girls website or Facebook page.

————————————————————–

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

---