Our Mission...
To provide a fitting tribute and an enduring memorial for the children loved and lost in our community.
To provide a place of healing, support, compassion and hope for family members, friends, and the community who have experienced the death of a child of any age.
“Memories of Missing Smiles”
Is dedicated to the residents of
Marion County, FL,
As a place to Honor and
Reflect on the lives of
Our children who have died.
This beautiful park symbolizes
A family’s love, a friend’s loss,
And a community’s compassion.
The love for our children,
And the memory of their smiles,
Will live on in our hearts forever.
Memories of Missing Smiles, Inc. (M.O.M.S.) will coordinate fundraising activities, develop, promote and maintain a memorial park and reflection pond dedicated to the lives and smiles of our children who have died.
Paved and mulch walk paths, a small reflection pond, two waterfalls, a butterfly garden and an open grass area, grace the natural grounds of this beautiful park.
Engraved memorial paver bricks are available for adoption. This is a beautiful way to honor the memory of a child.
All improvements shall be achieved through in kind services, contributions of materials, or funded from financial contributions and donations to the M.O.M.S. non-profit organization.
EXCITING NEWS
A few park rules......
Water Features:
We have a HUGE favor to ask from all the wonderful photographers who take pictures at the M.O.M.S. Park. We know that it is a beautiful setting, and we completely understand your desire to snap photos here, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE stay off of, and out of, the waterfalls, and please do not remove the stones from the creek sidewalls so that you can put them in the stream to stand on. You are unintentionally (I'm sure) causing damage to stream liner and puncturing it. The sidewall spot that you took the rock from is left exposed to the UV rays,creating even more damage. Please be courteous and remember the purpose of this park is to create a peaceful environment to honor our children who have died. We are a small non-profit organization, and don't have the funds to make these costly repairs. Thank You!!!
Plants, Flowers & Decorative items
In order to maintain the natural beauty and environment of the M.O.M.S. Park, some guidelines have been established to maintain the integrity of the natural setting.
No plants, flowers, or decorative items are to be placed in the park.
If you have adopted a memorial tree, only small, live flowering plants (growing no taller than 12”) may be placed around the base. The watering system in place has been designed solely for the memorial trees. It may not be adequate for sustaining your plants. You are responsible for making sure that your plants are properly watered.
a. All plants should be planted in the ground,
inside the watering are
b. The berm area currently in place for each memorial tree should not be increased or decreased.
c. Do not leave plants still in pots around the trees.
d. Only natural pine bark or cypress mulch is to be placed around the base of the trees.
This is to ensure a uniform look throughout the park. Please, no products with dyes or insecticides are to be used.
e. No retaining walls of any type, or rocks, are permitted to be built around the base of the trees.
f. Any plants that are in poor condition, or not in compliance with these guidelines, will be removed.
Please do NOT place plants, flowers, or decorative items around any other memorial items in the park without prior approval from M.O.M.S.
You are all probably familiar with the expression, " The only thing that is constant, is change". Well, we are thrilled to share with you exciting changes that are coming to the M.O.M.S. Park!
The City of Ocala has agreed to take over the maintenance and operations of the M.O.M.S. Park!
We have every confidence that the City will give this beautiful and very meaningful park the special attention it deserves. The park will remain a children's memorial park, and memorial items will still be available through the City if Ocala. We ask that you continue to show your support for the M.O.M.S. Park by letting the City of Ocala, Recreation and Parks department know how much you appreciate their time, effort, and commitment to keeping the park an amazing place to honor our children.
The Recreation and Parks department has incredible plans to improve the Memories of Missing Smiles (M.O.M.S.) Park, and we are grateful beyond words.
Thank you so much for your amazing support over the past 12 years. The creation, and maintenance if the M.O.M.S Park has truly been a labor of love. I know that I can speak on behalf of everyone involved, that everything we have done, has been is loving memory of our children.