The Davis Cemetery District will dedicate a permanent COVID-19 Memorial, a project three years in the making. The dedication will take place on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. (Guests are invited to arrive at 10:30 A.M. for a cardmaking project).

This memorial, located at 820 Pole Line Road, will serve as a space for reflection, remembrance, and healing. The memorial features a walking path with four portals—Home, Community, Loss, and Hope—leading to a reflection area where visitors can sit and contemplate the impact of the pandemic. As visitors exit the memorial, they will encounter images highlighting strength and resiliency, focusing on looking forward while remembering the past. Even though the memorial is in Davis, California, and many of its images reflect the Sacramento Region, it is intended to be a shared space of caring for people across the world.

The memorial honors those who lost their lives and considers first responders, essential workers, small businesses, caregivers, families, and friends, especially those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Closer to home, it acknowledges the local community’s resilience and ability to overcome adversity.

The dedication will be led by Davis Cemetery District Vice Chair and memorial construction lead, Stephen Souza. It will feature remarks by Yolo County Supervisors Jim Provenza and Lucas Frerichs, City of Davis Mayor Joshua Chapman, Davis Firefighters Local 3494 President Matt Fix, and Lead Artist Wesley Horn. Artists Ro Mottsmith, Brenda Cibrian, Donna Lemongello, and Jennifer Nachmanoff who contributed to the memorial, will be present as visitors walk through the memorial to discuss their inspiration and creative process with the community. Janice Labadie and the Davis Threshold Singers will perform musical selections.

Full Program Coming Soon! 

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.

We always appreciate volunteers to aid in planning, set up, and clean up. Please contact jess@daviscemetery.org if you would like to help.

This year’s Memorial Day Program is brought to you by the Davis Cemetery District and the Davis Odd Fellows. The Golden State Brass will perform a musical prelude at 9:30 am with the formal program beginning at 10:00 am. This year’s program will include opening remarks by Supervisor Jim Provenza, performances by the Davis Youth Chorale and the Davis High School Madrigals and Jazz Choir.

2024 Event Details: 

Monday, May 27th

9:30 am Musical prelude by the Golden State Brass

10:00 am Formal program begins 

Keynote Speaker

Todd Henry, Deputy Police Chief

Davis Police Department

Deputy Chief Henry has over 27 years of public safety experience. He was with the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office for over 25 years, where he held various assignments and left as a Captain in 2022. Most recently, Deputy Chief Henry was the Chief of Field Investigations for the Security and Law Enforcement Division with the California Lottery. Deputy Chief Henry started with the Davis Police Department in March of 2023.

Deputy Chief Henry has held operational and management positions within patrol, K9, SWAT, investigations, Air Operations, and several regional task forces. He is also a credentialed Type 3 incident commander and was a Sacramento Regional Incident Management Team member for five years. He has responded to several large natural disasters throughout the state and has extensive experience in emergency management. Deputy Chief Henry is also the Chair of the California Peace Officers Association, Region IV Board, and a member of the Placer County Mental Health Board.

Todd has a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Management and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute.

Mosaic and Mural Art Installation

Deadline for Submissions: March 15, 2024

Applicants have been contacted and interviews scheduled. 

BACKGROUND AND OPPORTUNITY

The Davis Cemetery District is installing a permanent COVID-19 memorial at the Davis Cemetery at 820 Pole Line Road. This memorial will feature a walking path, seating/reflection space, informational signage, and privacy landscaping. Visitors will walk along a path where they will walk through four to five archways, each designed to represent stages of the pandemic. The path will end at a reflection wall where visitors can reflect on the meaning of the memorial. As visitors leave the memorial, signage will be placed along the path describing the strength and resiliency our community has gained through the pandemic and will focus on looking forward, while remembering the past.

OPPORTUNITY

The district will commission an artist or group of artists to design and install mosaic art on each pre-installed pillar and mural art on each archway. The public art will visually enhance the COVID-19 memorial and will serve as the memorial’s primary visual focal point.

Within the safety constraints of the project and aesthetics of the cemetery, the artists will be able to explore their own artistic vision in partnership with the COVID-19 memorial subcommittee which consists of two district board members, listed below. Questions regarding this opportunity should be directed to: Stephen Souza at sasouza@sbcglobal.net

BACKGROUND

The District’s Board of Trustees envisioned the Davis Cemetery Districts COVID-19 Memorial and appointed Trustees Heidy Kellison and Stephen Sousa to lead this project. The district’s vision is for the memorial to represent the following:

SCOPE

The selected artist and/or team will collaborate closely with Trustees Kellison and Souza as well as Jessica Smithers from the Davis Cemetery District. Ideally, we would like to include community member participation to assist the artist(s) during the installation process.

ELEMENT ONE – PILLARS

The memorial will consist of 5 archways for a total of 10 pillars. Each 16” x 16” x 8’ pillar will be 42.56 sq. ft of surface area or 85.12 sq ft per archway for mosaic art. The pillars will be set in a 2’ x 2’ x 2’ concrete foundation, vertical reinforced by rebar. The pillars will be constructed with concrete blocks – see example. The installation and construction will be handled by the cemetery and will not be the responsibility of the artist.

ELEMENT TWO – ARCHWAYS

The memorial will consist of 5 wooden archways. Once the concrete pillars have been erected, each archway will be constructed. Each wooden arch is 4’ x 12’ x 9’4” for a total of 18.8 sq ft of mural art. Example archway to the right.

BUDGET

The district will cover the cost of materials and basic tools needed for the mosaic and mural art. This opportunity includes a budget of $4,000 for materials and $12,000 for artists’ stipends. The costs associated with the pre-installed archways are not part of this budget.

ESTIMATED TIMELINE

February 29, 2024 – Artist call announcement

March 15, 2024 – Application submission deadline

March 29, 2024 – Finalist interviews with committee and notifications of selected artists and/or teams

April 2024 – Artist develops design in collaboration sub-committee / Final design review and approval

May 2024 – Projected installation period

End of May 2024 – Completion

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Interested artists should submit the following application materials to Jessica Smithers at jess@daviscemetery.org

• Artist Resume: Artistic accomplishments, awards, commissions, exhibitions, etc.
• Portfolio Images: Examples of mosaic and/or mural art preferred. Minimum 3, Maximum 5.
• Letter of Intent: A brief letter explaining your interest in this project and qualifications that make you well suited for this job.
• Professional References: Contact information. References should be able to speak to your ability to complete this specific project. Minimum 1.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

Artists and/or teams will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Artist experience with mosaic and/or mural installations in a public setting;
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with sub committees in a design-team context;
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with local communities on design development;
• Familiarity with public agencies, and/or previous collaboration with local government;
• Preference given to local (yolo county) artists; and
• Demonstrated ability to undertake and successfully execute the work in accordance with the construction schedule, in a professional manner and within the project budget.

We have sold out of wreaths and lanterns as of 12/05/2023

Family and friends of loved ones can order a holiday wreath to be placed on a grave or displayed at your home. The 22″ fresh Noble Fir wreath will be sold for $25 each. All proceeds will go to the continuous care and restoration of our beautiful cemetery. We have a limited quantity of wreaths, which do sell out each year, so please order soon!

For those looking for an alternative, we can place a solar lantern, suspended from a shepherd’s hook, graveside through the month of December. Lanterns are $25 each and will be removed after January 1st.

Orders can be placed by calling (530) 756-7807 or emailing jess@daviscemetery.org

Wreaths are expected to arrive between 11/27 and 12/4.

2023 Program Details

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Musical Prelude: 10:30 am / Formal Program: 11:00 am

Musical performances by Golden State Brass, Adrienne Fortini, Davis Local Vocals, and The Davis Madrigals.

Keynote Speaker: Jim Walker

Sergeant Jim Walker was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1946.  He completed his BS from the University of Alabama and the PMD program at The Harvard Business School.  Jim served in the US Army from January 1969 through 1970 with a one year deployment to Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division.  He is the recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze and Army Commendation medals with V.   He retired as a senior executive in the transportation industry and has served on numerous boards in the logistics arena.  Jim is a member of Davis Odd Fellows and served as Chaplain in 2022. 

On an annual basis, the Davis Cemetery District hosts a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration on our grounds. This celebration is one of the last Mesoamerican indigenous influenced rituals, honoring mother earth and all ancestors. This celebration is part of an effort to create a community, a sense of belonging, and global awareness of cultural richness in our multicultural society.

Historically, the Dia de los Muertos celebration has included a variety of artists and performers, as well as a collective altar honoring all ancestors. Beginning in 2020, the district moved to a modified event that included a public altar, marigolds to be placed on graves, and informational signage.

2023 Dia de los Muertos Community Outreach Event Announcement