Symbol of Remembrance & Hope

In the photo below: My Mom, Sue Allen, and Marie Strong getting ready to decorate.

On this day, over twenty years ago, the children at New Haven Elementary School planted a tree at the intersection of New York State Route 104 and County Route 6 in New Haven, New York. Also on this lot at the time, was the Heidi Allen Command Center. There was a lawn sale fundraiser held to help defray the costs of postage and expenses involved in keeping the command center open and active.

This tree has grown quite a bit in the past two decades. Jimmie and Robin Guyle contacted our family, and Maggie Sue's, a few months ago to ask our permission to honor both girl's memories with plaques. The plaques will be attached to the rock located on their corner lot.

They designed a plaque for each child. Today, May 1st, 2016, they will rededicate Heidi's tree and dedicate a memorial rock to Maggie Sue. This is an opportunity for our community to gather and remember two young lives lost due to tragedy. One to kidnapping and the other to EEE. We are grateful for Jimmie James and our community, thank you for remembering Heidi and honoring Maggie Sue too. New Haven, New York is a special place to live in. A blessing to count.

Read below the post on Facebook from Jimmie James BBQ about today's small dedication.

---

From Jimmy & Robin Guyle's of Jimmie James BBQ:
On Sunday 5/1/2016 @ 2:00 pm there will be a small dedication service
held at 4249 State Route 104, New Haven, NY
(At the corner of State Route 104 and County Route 6, the old Jimmie James BBQ and Current All Wheel Auto location.) This is also where the Heidi Allen Command Post was in May 1994.
​
We (Jimmy James BBQ) would like to take this opportunity to invite the community
to join us in the re-dedication of the evergreen tree that was planted on May 1, 1994
by the students of the New Haven Elementary tree.

It was planted in honor of Heidi Allen, the young woman who went missing on April 3, 1994.

We would like to rededicate the tree, as well as dedicate
a new memorial rock and plaques that will help us remember both Heidi Allen
and the young girl we lost to Eastern Equine Encephalitis (Triple E),
Maggie Sue Glenister Wilcox, on August 14, 2011.

Reverend Vivian Summerville will be there to help lead the dedication service.
There will be light refreshments served.

Our family thanks Jimmie James BBQ, aka Jimmie & Robin,
for remembering Heidi & Maggie Sue with their dedication.