Friends and families will come together at Smalls Park on Jacksonville’s northside Sunday to remember those they’ve lost to COVID-19.
Betty Burney is a member of the Jacksonville COVID Taskforce, the organization behind the Day of Remembrance, Hope and Unity.
Burney said small flags will cover the ballfield, representing the nearly 3,000 people who have died of the coronavirus in Jacksonville.
“I hope what the families take away is that they’re not alone, that people care and that we want them to understand that we feel their loss," Burney said. "Because, you know, you see the numbers on television and you hear and you see numbers and numbers and numbers, but there are people behind those numbers.”
Burney said she also hopes that people who haven’t gotten vaccinated yet will be encouraged to get a free shot while they’re there.
There will also be a food giveaway for families struggling to put food on their table.
The Day of Remembrance starts at 2 p.m. Sunday at Smalls Park on Myrtle Avenue. Masks and social distancing will be required.
