Local resident John Pierce has donated 20,000 bulbs to The Daffodil Project in honour of his late wife Anne and son Darrell, and the planting site near the Saamis Tepee will be known as Pierce Place. John and his sons Dave (left) and Doug stand at Pierce Place on Friday morning during a small ceremony.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
A local resident has chosen to honour and remember his late wife and son with a donation of 20,000 bulbs to The Daffodil Project.
John Pierce’s wife Anne Marie passed away in March 2016, and their son Darrell last fall.
John wanted the daffodil planting area near the Saamis Tepee to be the location of the bulbs. At a ceremony Friday morning on location, The Daffodil Project announced the area will always be referred to in future as Pierce Place.
John and Anne married in 1951 and raised their children Dave, Nancy, Darrell and Doug in Medicine Hat.
At the ceremony were John and his sons Doug and Dave. His daughter Nancy from Red Deer was not able to attend.
The chosen location is particularly fitting considering the nearby baseball diamonds acknowledging Darrell’s love of sports and, in particular, baseball.
“The daffodils will be an enduring symbol of past, present and future generations of Pierces, from the first generation of Pierces in Medicine Hat, Elise and Ivan, through John and Anne, their children, their eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Enjoy,” says a family statement read at the ceremony Friday.
Members of The Daffodil Committee at the ceremony told the Pierces that Hatters in general will enjoy seeing the blooms.
Last spring Adair Prouty announced a donation of 20,000 bulbs in honour of the late Len Mitzel former MLA for Cypress Medicine Hat.
In late September, 2018 more than 50 volunteers were on site (south of the Trans-Canada Highway and east of the College overpass) to plant the first 12,000 bulbs. Len Mitzel Meadow is currently in full bloom.
It was shortly after that planting day that John made contact with The Daffodil Project explaining that he wanted to do something similar. It did not take him long to determine the site for planting. The name – Pierce Place – seemed perfect.
This fall, late September or early October, 20,000 bulbs will be planted at Pierce Place. There are normally plenty of volunteers ready, willing and able to get the bulbs in the ground and this fall they together with the Pierce family will be honouring Anne Marie and Darrell.
For more information about The Daffodil Project:
Website: medhatdaffodils.wordpress.com
Email: hatdaffodils@gmail.com
Telephone: 403-528-8635
