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Family honored for memorial bench at Bingham Lake; county staff urged to publicize program
Summary
A local family whose son died by suicide was recognized Sept. 23 after the county installed a memorial bench at Bingham Lake; presenters urged wider publicity for the parks department’s memorial bench program and highlighted school mental-health supports available to families.
Carol Hanson and her daughter, Ally Byrne, addressed the Board of County Commissioners Sept. 23 to thank county parks staff for installing a memorial bench at Bingham Lake in memory of Carol’s son, who died by suicide last year. Caroline Frizzell and parks staff including Morgan Morehart, Shane Falk and Bobby Johnson were recognized for their work on the bench.
Hanson described the bench as a place where friends and family can gather; Byrne said the bench provides a tangible place for remembrance because the family does not have a formal gravesite. Byrne, an educator, also thanked the Douglas County School District for early-intervention services, saying her 11-year-old received timely support from onsite school psychologists and counselors and a referral to the I MATTER program for free therapy.
County response: Commissioners praised parks staff and encouraged the county to publicize the memorial bench program more widely so other families could learn about the option. Parks staff said the county does roughly six to ten memorial benches per year and that seeing the family’s gratitude was meaningful.
Action taken: This item was a ceremonial recognition; no formal motion or spending action was taken. Commissioners presented a certificate of recognition to parks staff and expressed condolences and support for the family.
Community context: Speakers recommended increased public information about both the memorial bench program and available early-intervention mental-health resources for students and families.
