Staff Writer

ONEONTA — Several Oneonta High School choral groups will sing tonight to raise money for the school's memorial garden.

The chorus, concert choir, jazz choir and men's and women's ensembles will sing at the OHS Fall Vocal Fest at 7 tonight at the high school's auditorium, said Victoria Rickard, who directs the groups.

Admission to the concert is free, Rickard said, but memorial garden committee members will be collecting donations throughout the evening.

A similar concert last year raised about $300 for a 9/11 Red Cross fund, she said.

"We decided to keep the fund raising going," Rickard said. "It just seemed like the appropriate thing to do."

Construction on The Memorial Garden at OHS began in spring.

The garden, located behind the high school, is about two-thirds complete, said Mike Haehnel, co-chair of the Memorial Garden committee, which is sponsored by The Compassionate Friends — Oneonta region.

"The walks are in place, the garden is planted," Haehnel said. "It's just going to be a matter of time as the garden develops."

Workers have also installed about 30 paving blocks that memorialize deceased students, teachers and community members, Haehnel said.

In the spring, the committee plans to install a pond, plant more flowers and extend the walkway, Haehnel said, estimating that about $5,000 will be needed to complete the project.

"There will always be ongoing upkeep," he added. "It'll also take about $1,000 a year to keep it looking good."

Volunteers — including 37 on Saturday — have put in more than 500 hours building the garden, which is funded completely through donations, Haehnel said.

The OHS Class of 2002 donated hours and money to the garden as their class gift, he said.

Several songs at tonight's concert will have memorial garden themes, Rickard said.

Seniors in the choir will sing, "Come to My Garden," from the musical, "The Secret Garden," while a slide show displays the progress of the garden.

Other groups will perform pieces about remembrance, she said.

Refreshments in the cafeteria will follow the ceremony, and the public can go outside to look at the garden, Rickard said.

Meanwhile, Haehnel said the garden committee is focusing on the long term to ensure upkeep of the garden year after year.

"You hear stories about gardens going in and going to seed," he said. "That is not going to happen here."

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Carolyn Norton can be reached at cnorton@thedailystar.com or (607) 441-7218.