About the Memorial
The Children's Memorial was installed in April 1999 to raise awareness of the plight of children from New York State who have died as a result of abuse or neglect. Located in a park on the southwest side of the Plaza, the memorial consists of a plaque embedded in a large granite stone with a facing bench. The plaque reads:
When the gift of life was taken from you, so was a piece of our heart. Your death will not be in vain. Those of us remaining must cherish the children, and shield them from harm.
The memorial was established through the efforts of Capital Region residents, families and friends of child victims, as well as local professionals involved in the crusade to prevent violence against children. They hope that the memorial will serve as a reminder of this issue and an encouragement to the community to join the effort to protect children from abuse and neglect. Materials and labor were donated by Ted Burek of Century Monuments, Rensselaer, New York.