The project was initiated by Sarge’s staff member Phyllis Lunsik, helped by students and teachers at Jonathan Valley Elementary School.

How it began

The inspiration came from an encounter Lunsik had with a 4-year-old girl, who told her that while parents had someplace to go to remember her grandparents, she “didn’t have any place to go to remember her puppy.”

Lunsik was moved by the girl’s comments and came up with the idea of a memorial rock garden as a place children could go to remember their pets that have passed away.

A connection was made since Lunsik’s grandson, Dylan, was on the swim team with Jonathan Valley Elementary student Max Serenius, son of Jon Serenius, a fifth-grade teacher at the school.

In November 2019, Lunsik met with Jon Serenius and art teacher, Carrie Hooper.

“I talked about my ‘plan’ and they jumped on board, with the agreement of JVE principal Jennifer Reeves,” Lunsik said.

Ten students at Jonathan Valley Elementary, ranging from second to sixth grade, painted rocks to memorialize their pets.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 hit in early 2020 and everything went on hold,” Lunsik said.

Forward to 2021

The project came to fruition in 2021. Lunsik added rocks painted at a Waynesville Maker’s Market to those previously painted by Jonathan Valley Elementary students.

In September, the memorial rock garden was unveiled. A large rock sign with the Sarge’s logo, painted by Johnna Jacobs, graces the garden.

For the grand opening of the garden, Jon Serenius and his son, Max, now 11 years old, helped Lunsik place the painted rocks in the garden.

Jon placed a rock he had painted to remember his childhood dog, a Golden Retriever named Molly. Max painted a 9/11 rock in remembrance of the canines of Sept. 11.

How to participate

To participate, children of all ages may select a prepared river rock and then paint it, or just leave a message for their pet. After painting, the rock is sealed in resin to protect it from the weather.

The finished rocks are placed in the Sarge’s Memorial Rock Garden, either by the child or Sarge’s staff member.

“You do not have to be an artist to participate,” Lunsik said. “Hopefully involvement in this project will give the children some emotional ease. They can come visit their rock at any time.”

“I like how painting and placing the rock at Sarge’s is a bridge that goes with the next step of adopting a new dog or cat,” Jon said. “The rock placed in the garden says to the child that their pet was important.”

The memorial rocks are not to be collected like the rocks that are part of the Maggie Valley Rocks.

“This is a permanent memorial,” Lunsik said. “The name of the pet may be painted on the top of the rock. No child’s name is allowed on the top of the rock, but the children may put their initials on the bottom.”

There is no charge for the rocks, but donations to Sarge’s to help cover the cost of the materials will be appreciated.

Lunsik was impressed with the $1.03 donation made by a little girl at the Maker’s Market, who said the $1.03 was all she had — but she wanted to donate it to Sarge’s.

To paint a rock at Sarge’s, call 828-246-9050 for an appointment.

There is an upcoming opportunity to paint a memorial rock for a pet at the Jonathan Valley Elementary Fall Festival, which will be held on the school grounds from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12. See the Sarge’s booth at the event.

Sarge’s Adoption Center is at 256 Industrial Park Dr., in Waynesville. For information on Sarge’s work to save homeless pets, visit www.sarges.org.