This spring, Minnehaha Commons residents, staff, and community members will be creating a mosaic in memory of the six people who
perished in a fire on the site on April 2nd, 2010. Ann Gervais, her son Andrew Gervais, his three children Colton Gervais, and twins Austin and Aliciah Gervais-Hjellming planned to stay in an apartment above McMahon’s Pub with family friend Ryan Richner. They had nowhere else to stay that night.
Spearheaded by mosaic artist Lori Greene of Mosaic on a Stick, the group will be working together to make an artwork in tribute to all those who have been fragilely housed. When asked why so many of her mosaic installations are memorials, Greene reflected that mosaics are “broken” pieces of glass and tile, and that the people who are making the memorials have often been broken by their experiences. Minnehaha
Commons resident Charles Tolliver pointed out that crafting the mosaic is a step toward putting lives back together, and healing, not only for the community and family members but also for the residents of Minnehaha Commons, who have themselves been homeless in the past. Funding for the mosaic will be provided by Alliance Housing, Inc., and Touchstone Mental Health. Residents will also have the opportunity to make a trivet for their apartment. The memorial mosaic will be installed in the common area of Minnehaha Commons.
