Newtown flowers used in memorial soil

NEWTOWN, Conn., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Flowers and notes for the victims of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting will be made into soil, which will be the foundation of a memorial, an official said.

First Selectman Pat Llorda issued a statement saying Newtown's Public Works Department will begin this week gathering the temporary memorials consisting of flowers, cards, wreaths, notes and teddy bears left in memory of the 26 people, including 20 children, shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"The thousands of flowers, letters, prayers, signs and photos, teddy bears and more, will be gathered and processed into soil that will serve in the foundation of a future permanent memorial to honor the slain children and adults," she said.

"This will be sacred soil, holding all the sweet messages and symbols of love and hope, of kindness and sadness, visions for a better future, and promises to forever remember the ones lost in this sad attack."

Meanwhile, Selectman Will Rodgers announced a transition team has been formed to handle donations of cash and goods to the town and victims of the Dec. 14 shooting, The Newtown Bee reported Thursday.

He said monetary donations to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund at Newtown Savings Bank established in coordination with United Way are best. Donations of school supplies, teddy bears and other physical items, while appreciated, require time to process and sort through, Rodgers added.