The Road of Remembrance: A Memorial Drive Through Forest Lawn Cemetery

October 11, 2020

12:00 Noon - 2:00 PM

Beginning at the Margaret L. Wendt Archive and Resource Center

1990 Main St., Buffalo

Throughout the nation, parents, family members, friends and healthcare professionals gather to pay tribute to the approximately 870,000 babies who die each year due to miscarriage, ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, stillbirth or early infant death. For the parents who have experienced perinatal loss, this event is an opportunity to listen to beautiful songs and poems, plant a tree, and come together with other parents to remember their beloved children.

Due to the restrictions and safety precautions required by New York State because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WNYPBN cannot host their annual Walk to Remember at Cheektowaga Town Park. In response to this series of unfortunate circumstances, the creative team has come up with an alternative to Walking in honor of our babies gone too soon. The WNYPBN will host the Road of Remembrance: A memorial drive through Forest Lawn Cemetery.

To Pre-Register for the drive, please visit: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/WesternNewYorkPerinatalBereav/RoadRegistration.html

The purpose of the Road of Remembrance event will be to promote awareness about the pain of perinatal/infant loss and the effect it has on families, as well as raises money to help support those afflicted by a tragic loss. We ask that those participating in this event pre-register by September 23rd, and obtain donations to help support the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network, Inc. (WNYPBN) by creating a safe and secure fundraising page. We need your help now more than ever!

The Road of Remembrance will entail a scenic and solemn drive through the beautiful and historic Forest Lawn Cemetery along the Blue Line Tour route. Along this route, we will place newly created baby name memorial signs, similar to but different from the signs we have used in previous years' Walk to Remember events. Cars will pass the Wings of Love Memorial Monument, where our Walk to Remember Banner will be displayed, adorned with our beloved baby names. The Wings of Love Memorial Monument was established in October of 2019 as a tribute to all of our beloved babies gone too soon. There will also be a YouTube video with contemplative music, poetry and message from our Executive Director to accompany your Memorial Drive Through Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Anyone can participate in this event: all you need is a vehicle to drive through Forest Lawn. However, when you pre-register for participation in this event by September 23rd, included with the $30 donation, your family will receive a newly printed sign in honor of your babies gone too soon, two copies of the Road of Remembrance event program, flowers for the bereaved family, a Wings of Love keychain and various other memorabilia and trinkets donated by our sponsors. All our encouraged to pre-register for this memorial drive, there will be no day of registration.

No persons may exit their vehicles along the route, and families are encouraged to decorate their vehicles in remembrance of their babies gone too soon, keeping in mind the contemplative nature of the event.

Thank you to our Sponsors for their generosity year after year.