Orange County officials began archiving mementos from Pulse memorials in Orlando Monday, part of an initiative to preserve the memories of the attack and its unifying aftermath.

  • Thousands of mementos from Pulse memorials to be archived
  • The items will be used for a future permanent exhibit at the Orange County Regional Medical Center
  • Workers hope to have the work done in time for Fourth of July festivities

From the Pulse nightclub itself all the way to Lake Eola, thousands of items crowd homegrown memorials in Orlando.

On Monday, the One Orlando Collection Initiative took stock of the mementos at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center -- American and rainbow flags dotting the grounds, half-inflated balloons floating in the wind, spinning flower pinwheels, drawings and pictures in honor of those lost and those who survived. The staff began cataloging and boxing up the colorful memorial, to be stored for a future Orange County Regional History Center exhibit.

“Our goal is not to take this away from the public, it’s to take care of it and preserve it for the public,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. “We want to make sure that this moment in history is remembered for the strength, the resiliency and the unity in this community.”

Workers carefully removed items for transport with tissue paper and acid-free boxes. They will eventually be curated for a permanent exhibit.

“This was a horrific event, but we are here to collect these items to celebrate the community’s response,” said Michael Perkins of the Orange County Regional History Center. “We will do everything we can to keep things as safe as we can.”

Perkins said the center is unable to utilize dried flowers, as they pose a hazard to other exhibits. They plan to take pictures of the bouquets, then compost them for use around city parks.

As vigils wind down, the county and city of Orlando are working on a permanent plan to honor the 49 lives lost in the attack.

“I’ve worked in the last two weeks to understand as much as I can about those lives,” said Jacobs, wiping away tears. “We’re still in the early stages of deciding how we tell those stories.”

People are still coming to the memorials that have grown in the wake of the shooting, from Pulse nightclub to Lake Eola.

Workers began moving items from Lake Eola on Friday.

“It’s a cathartic thing,” said Cady Brewer, as she stared at the Dr. Phillips lawn memorial. The Orlando native said she just had to come back and share the experience with her son, Graham.

“I was curious to see how it had grown since the vigil, and wanted to just come and experience it again,” she explained. “It’s important that he knows what happened, eventually.”

Brewer likes the idea of a permanent memorial.

“I think a permanent structure would be good,” she said. “I’ve been here all my life, and it’s neat to see it come together again.”

The city of Orlando would like to have the collection work done in time for Fourth of July festivities at Lake Eola Park.

In addition, the Regional History Center is collecting stories from the public for the permanent exhibit. For more information and how you can share your experiences, head to www.thehistorycenter.org.