Zen Garden created in memory of Live Violence Free staff member

Jen Kline, a 15-year-employee with Live Violence Free, passed away suddenly on March 18, 2016 at the age of 46. The unexpected death caught everyone by surprise from family and friends to those she served in Alpine County through her position as the non-profit agency's coordinator.

"We were totally shocked," LVF Executive Director Jane Flavin said of Kline's passing.

During Kline's memorial this spring her daughters passed out seeds

as a way to spread their monther's love. The seeds morphed into an idea at LVF to take a long-neglected garden area at the agency's office on Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe and turn it into a Jen Zen Garden.

The garden has been brought to life, following a plan that the Sierra Alliance had when they originally started the garden area years ago. That space had been left alone for awhile, with weeds living where flowers were planned..until now.

There was a work party on June 25 to add mulch, weed, add flowers (though a rabbit has "stolen" the mature lupine that were there). During the day, Jen's favorite album, Imagine by John Lennon, played. People came from everywhere to help, including those she'd met along the way in Alpine County. Volunteers came from Secret Witness, Kiwanis, South Tahoe High and even a group having a family reunion in town that didn't know Jen or the agency.

The garden does have a frequent visitor, a rabbit LVF has named Peaceful Petunia. Help in protecting the plants left, and the ones that disappeared with Petunia's help, is still needed in the garden. Those interested may contact the agency.

While in Alpine County, Kline worked with the tribal community, put on community lunches, had connections with the court, gave parent classes to prevent child abuse, girls empowerment group facilitation, victim response team, put on a teddy bear parade, helped Rainbow Rock become a reality, clothesline project, sexual assault response and much more.

Kline lived in the Carson Valley, was married and had two children.