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Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, Inc Announce Formation, First Community Engagement Opportunity

Published: Oct 17, 2025 7:00 am

Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, Inc (FSHPM), a newly formed Connecticut non-profit organization, is proud to announce its official establishment and the launch of its new website, friendsofshpm.org.

Formed in the spring of 2025, Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, Inc is a Connecticut-based non-profit dedicated to preserving the integrity of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial. The organization’s mission is to ensure the memorial remains a vibrant, sacred place of reflection, remembrance, and healing for generations to come.

Located on Riverside Road, Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial was completed and dedicated in November 2022 after nine years of planning and construction. The memorial honors the 20 children and six educators whose lives were tragically taken on December 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The memorial includes several sacred elements designed to honor and remember the victims, such as winding paths framed by natural landscape, a “sacred soil” feature, and a circular water feature engraved with the names of the 26 victims and a sacred sycamore tree standing at the heart of the water feature.

FSHPM is committed to ensuring the sacred and reverent nature of the site is preserved. Through oversight, stewardship, and special projects, the organization will safeguard the vitality of the memorial’s design and landscape. This dedication will ensure all visitors experience a space that is both thoughtful and healing.

Tara Vincenta, president of FSHPM and owner of Artemis Landscape Architects, said the organization’s priority “is to make certain that the memorial’s elements and original design continue to serve as a place of reflection and healing over time.”

Leadership With Deep Ties

The FSHPM Board is comprised of individuals who played key roles in the original planning and construction of the memorial, including Vincenta; secretary, Jessica Wilson, Artemis Landscape Architects; treasurer, Tricia Pinto, mother of Jack; director, JoAnn Bacon, mother of Charlotte; director, Daniel Rosenthal, former First Selectman; and director, Jason Smith, Downes Construction.

A newly launched website offers a detailed history of the memorial’s planning and construction; an interactive feature showcasing plantings with details on bloom times and pollinators; and a donation page to support the ongoing care and programming.

Community Opportunities

On-site opportunities will be hosted by FSHPM, often inviting the public to assist with cleanup and/or install new plantings during community volunteer days.

FSHPM invites the community to participate in its first Fundraiser and Volunteer Day on Saturday, November 15, from 10 am until 1 pm (rain date November 16), focused on planting daffodils at the site.

Anyone interested in helping is asked to register through friendsofshpm.org.

It is recommended that volunteers bring a bottle of water, garden gloves, and kneeling pad if desired. Tools will be provided.

To learn more about the victims of 12/14 and their stories FSHPM suggests visiting mysandyhookfamily.org.

Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, Inc is a Connecticut-based non-profit dedicated to preserving the integrity of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial.

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Mr. Walczak’s reply is unfortunately emblematic of the political double-speak that frustrates so many residents. Rather than engaging on the substantive issues raised — namely, the balance between quality education and fiscal responsibility — he chose to deflect and assign partisan blame. It’s easy to grandstand about “supporting education.” It’s harder to make responsible decisions that keep Newtown affordable for everyone — families, seniors, and small businesses alike. That’s the work real public servants are doing, even when it’s not politically convenient.

Responds To Walczak

*Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on the education budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC.

Mr. Walczak, I read it multiple times before submitting my letter and again afterward. Nowhere in your letter do you mention Legislative Council. Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC. In addition, I noted that you didn't respond to the more substantive issue highlighted in my letter -- school funding and impact on our residents. Your initial letter seemed to indicate that "Republicans" were misguided in challenging budget requests. Regardless of whether you were talking about LC or BOE, is it your position that 64.8% of every tax dollar is not enough to adequately fund our schools? Are you advocating to spend more money? It feels like your Letter to the Editor is at odds with your campaign pitch of affordability.

It sounds like I hit a nerve! So let’s set the record straight, shall we… True - I did vote in favor of the municipal budget, which was a very reasonable 2.75%. Regarding not opening the BOE budget book in 2024, again, true. But what Chris & Eric failed to point out is that while I listened to all the predictable line items followed by predictable questions followed by predictable answers, and the Democrats predictably voting to give the BOE everything they asked for, I was the only LC member that concentrated on the side of the equation where 700 people in Newtown can’t pay their taxes, 400 rely upon the food pantry to put food on their table, and there are 115 homes that are in foreclosure. And while I am not on the BOE subcommittee, unlike my democratic friends, I made it a point to meet with the superintendent(s) both budget seasons face to face. So, to accuse me of “blindly” cutting the BOE budget is a blatant and despicable lie. What else did they lie about? Twenty-eight school positions were removed; the positions were never filled and the world survived. What else did they lie about? BOE passed in a bipartisan fashion? Half-lie: in 2024 they again tried to jam a 5% BOE tax increase through only to have it rejected at referendum. I proposed a 2.75% compromise that ultimately passed. What else did they lie about? My failure to mention the reduction in state aid and the increase in insurance premiums? Newtown needs to be run like an efficient company to be successful. I am not against education; I just want the school administration to make the most out of every dollar. Right now, $.66 out of every tax collected goes towards the BOE budget. And finally, my failure to offer solutions to raise revenue? I proposed a “Tanglewood model” compromise for 6 Commerce Road that could potentially generate in millions of dollars in revenue for the town. I proposed and am still in favor of an ordinance for peaceful protesting that would save the town potentially $225k in police overtime. My Democratic friends didn’t even want to consider that. And what solutions have C&E offered? Eric wanted to ADD $300K to the BOE budget for a kindergarten class that had no impact on learning Spanish! And Chis wanted the parents to pick up the tab for extracurricular activities THAT THEY ALREADY pay for. Don’t throw rocks if you live in glass houses. One of our main responsibilities on the Legislative Council is advocating taxpayers’ dollars in the best interests of the Town and trying to make it more affordable without degrading services. Unfortunately, the Democrats can’t run on “affordability” since they already jammed the residents of Newtown with a huge tax increase last year, but I still can. I am humbly asking for your support on or before Nov 4th. Thanks to C&E to giving me the opportunity to respond and clear everything up.

Democratic Response To Political Attack Letter

Not one question about the cost of implementing this system. Yes, there is a donation with strings attached. We've been there before and now we're bonding new monies regularly to maintain or repair those 'donations' like the community center. I think Deb is right to say she doesn't have enough information to make an informed decision. I'd like to know what it costs taxpayers to maintain & upgrade this system that seems to be on balance fairly unpopular.

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Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, Inc Announce Formation, First Community Engagement Opportunity

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