Transfer of the 49 White “Pulse” Tribute Crosses
Last updated on July 11, 2016
Monday, July 11, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Katie Dagenais, MA, Manager, Media Relations & Public Affairs
katie.dagenais@orlandohealth.com or 407-242-0305
Doreen Overstreet, APR, Orange County Government Doreen.overstreet@ocfl.net or 407-836-5301
MEDIA ALERT
What: Transfer of the 49 White “Pulse” Tribute Crosses from the Orlando Health campus to Orange
County’s History Center
Where: The transfer will begin at the corner of Miller St. and Orange Ave, just south of the ORMC
emergency department and will be led by a police escort to the final destination at the History
Center.
LOCATION #1: Orlando Health campus (southwest corner of Miller St. and Orange Ave., next to Lake
Beauty and alongside the current display of the crosses). Ceremony will take place on Miller St.,
which will be shut down for the event.
Event will be streamed LIVE via the Orlando Health Facebook page.
LOCATION #2: The Orange County Regional History Center (65 E. Central Blvd, Orlando FL 32801)
Ceremony will take place in the main plaza, corner of Central Blvd and Magnolia Ave
Who: Orlando Health President David Strong, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other dignitaries will
preside over the Orlando Health ceremony at Location #1. Orange County Mayor Teresa Ja- cobs,
Museum Director Michael Perkins and Historical Society President Jeff Jakubik will preside over the
acceptance ceremony at Location #2.
When: Tomorrow – Tuesday, July 12th
LOCATION #1: 8:30AM-9:00AM @ the Orlando Health Campus
TRAVEL: 9:15AM-9:30AM Orlando Police Department will provide a motorized escort for the crosses as
they travel via 24’ truck north on Orange Avenue to the History Center
LOCATION #2: 9:30AM @ History Center
What: After a brief ceremony at Orlando Health, the crosses will be draped with individual shrouds,
and loaded into a large truck and vans. The truck and vans will travel with OPD escort to the History Center, where they will be unpacked and ceremonially presented in a brief pro-
gram at the History Center Plaza. Interview, photo and video opportunities available at both
locations.
Background on the 49 crosses: The crosses were designed by artist Gary Zanis, who traveled 1200
miles from his home in Illinois the week following the Pulse nightclub shooting to place the white
wooden crosses alongside Lake Beauty on the Orlando Health campus, just outside Orlando Regional
Medical Center. Since then, the crosses have become a memorial for each of the 49 vic- tims of the
shooting.
Background on The One Orlando Collection Initiative: The Orange County Regional History Center is
the repository for the physical and digital memory of the Orlando Pulse Nightclub tragedy, which
occurred on June 12, 2016. In order to preserve history and properly care for the many thousands of
tribute items, the One Orlando Collection Initiative has been established.
Working through the Orange County Regional History Center, and in partnership with the City of
Orlando, Orange County is collecting and preserving memorial and tribute items for the long- term
memory of our community. The Center will serve as the repository and caretaker for non- perishable
physical items; flowers and other organic materials are being composted by the City of Orlando for
use in gardens throughout the City.
The History Center will be actively removing items from the various temporary memorial sites in
order to preserve them for the long-term memory of our community. The History Center will also be
collecting other items related to the event, including photographs, stories, social media items,
artwork, and more, so these memories will be available for future generations. For de- tailed
information visit www.thehistorycenter.org
The One Orlando Collection Initiative will be working collaboratively with all local, regional and
impacted individuals, institutions, or agencies toward the goal of expanding our shared under-
standing of these defining events and their continuing legacies. To donate, or a story to tell,
please contact the Orange County History Center at oneorlandocollection@ocfl.net.