Eighty-four stumps populate the Youth Grove in Central Park, a visual reminder 84 young lives in the Santa Clarita Valley cut short by traffic collisions.

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On Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. the city of Santa Clarita will hold their eighth annual Evening of Remembrance at the Youth Grove, honoring those who lost their lives and the loved ones left behind.    

Veronica Bayer, human services coordinator for the city, described the event as a “solemn celebration which focuses on teen driving safety.”

Before the event, city staff typically extend an invitation to anyone in the community who might want to add a name to the grove. This year no one did, signifying perhaps, less loss of life in 2013 than in previous years.

The Evening of Remembrance is open to the public, but is usually attended by friends and families of the young men and women who have died.

Bayer said that typically more than 100 people attend.

Speakers will include local officials, parents whose children are represented in the grove and members of the city’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, which was created in 2000 to help spread awareness alcohol and drug use among teens.

Members of the city’s Youth Advisory Committee will provide special music and read the list of 84 names as attendees light candles and view a slideshow of pictures.

The ceremony will only be an hour long, as an evening to solely focus on remembering “local youth who lost their lives on our streets,” Bayer said.

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