Project 52 Plants Memorial To Holly Caudle
Holly's mother Candy and her daughter Khylee Renee help plant a tree in Holly's memory on Saturday.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The dry earth gave way to the shovel as a man began to dig a hole so as to plant a tree in remembrance of someone lost too young.
Holly’s mother, Candy Caudle, drove from Texas to be here for the planting of the tree in her daughter’s memory. “Emotional” was how Candy described being there at the tree planting. “This is not suppose to happen, but we do what we have to do. I’m very thankful to Ashley for everything she’s done to do this and to arrange this for everybody up here.”
A group of over 35 were on hand to help the family plant and dedicate the tree. The group size didn’t slip past Candy, “I’m shocked at the turnout. I mean, there’s people here I don’t even know, that knew my daughter, and I’m so glad that they could meet her daughter…overwhelmed.”
Candy said that the family moved to Oskaloosa when Holly was 18 months old and that she attended the Oskaloosa school system until graduation. Holly then started attending Indian Hills. Holly moved to Texas in 2006. “But she spent her life here.” Candy said about her daughter Holly. “As far as my kids are concerned, this is their hometown. So this is a perfect place [Edmundson Park]; it really is.”
Bill Clark of Project 52 reads from Psalm 52 during the dedication ceremony
Ashley Probst nominated Holly to the Project 52 group after finding out about the group from a friend. “A friend of mine passed away and they knew about Project 52, and so she had said something to me about it; to nominate Holly.” Ashley visited the Project 52 website and filled out the information there. The group responded back to Ashley fairly quickly. Ashley told me, “I just wanted somewhere for us to come, that are here, that are not able to go to Texas” which is where Holly is buried.
“The only thing in life she ever wanted to be was a mom.” Candy says about her daughter Holly. Holly gave birth to her 1 and only child, a little girl Khylee Renee, on March 14, 2010 and passed away on March 24, 2010. “We do everything as if that is what she would want to do, we dress her [Holly’s daughter] in what she would want her dressed in.”
“I was a grandma” says Candy, about once again becoming the primary caretaker of a baby, “and now I’m raising children again. But that’s OK. I do what I have to do.”
Bill Clark is with Project 52. He was very generous with his time over the holiday weekend by coming out and preparing the spot to have Holly’s tree planted. Project 52 has been planting trees for 3 years now, according to Clark.
At every planting they have a shovel on hand that a family member signs and then those that wish to help fill dirt in around the tree can do so. One shovel stood by watching over the proceedings, as it already has 52 signatures on it and has been retired. Candy signed the newer shovel, then family and friends each took a turn using it to deposit some soil to help plant the tree.
A group shot at the tree planted in honor of Holly at Edmundson Park on Saturday.
Clark says that most of the trees have been planted in Iowa, but that they have also planted trees in North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, and that there is one scheduled soon for Illinois.
“Everyone’s afraid when they lose a loved one early that people forget about them. Part of what we do is with the tree. It’s a living thing, and it’s going to grow; and they can see that growing.” Clark says, about the tree and how it helps those who have lost loved ones.
Nodaway Valley helps to provide trees to Project 52. “They’ve been very generous” said Clark, “Not free but pretty close.” With this being the 19th tree for this year, and possibly another 20 more plantings this fall, their generosity along with the generosity of the other donors is greatly appreciated.
Project 52 was started by Dustin Blythe, Bill Clark, and Pastor John Dawson. The 3 of them had met on a mission trip to Honduras. The 3 new friends knew that when they returned home they wanted to form a charity, but were unsure of what it would be.
When the 3 friends returned home, Blythe received terrible news. On the evening of his return he learned that his son Treye had been murdered. Clark had been looking at a football picture of Treye and his jersey number was 52. Psalm 52 mentions trees: “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.”
From there Project 52 was born.
