Families invited to bring ornaments for York Co. coroner’s ‘Remembrance Tree’

The holidays can be difficult for families mourning a loved one who died during the previous year, and the York County Coroner’s Office wants to help ease that pain with its fifth annual Remembrance Tree.

The tree in the lobby of the coroner’s office will be lighted during an open house from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday. Family members of anyone who died in York County during the past year are invited to bring an ornament.

“We used it as an opportunity for our families to bring an ornament that represents their loved one that has passed away,” Coroner Sabrina Gast said. “It gives them an opportunity to talk about their loved ones and helps to ease the holidays a little bit.”

The event will be put on, in part, by York County’s CARE team – Connecting, Advocating and Responding with Empathy. The team, Gast said, is responsible for outreach to family members after they’ve experienced a loss.

“The holidays are really hard, especially that first holiday without a loved one,” she said.

Families can bring any kind of ornament – handmade or purchased – they feel represents their loved one, Gast said. The coroner’s office also will have ornaments and permanent pens available to personalize an ornament for a family member.

“We have families that come back year after year,” Gast said. “Our families love it.”

Family members can bring ornaments by the coroner’s office, 939 Heckle Blvd., Rock Hill, and place them on the tree any time between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.

For more information, call the coroner’s office at 803-909-8400.

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Families invited to bring ornaments for York Co. coroner’s ‘Remembrance Tree’."