TACOMA, Wash. -- This afternoon, the former classmates of Zina Linnik will have something to celebrate.
Two groundbreaking ceremonies will be held at 2:00 p.m. for two Hilltop parks in Tacoma dedicated to Zina's memory.
The 12-year old girl was kidnapped on July 4, 2007, from outside her home in Tacoma and was later found murdered. In the months and years since, a sex offender has been prosecuted and lawsuits filed, but her classmates at Tacoma's McCarver Elementary School have also been working to create something special in her memory that will also benefit other children in the community.
The children created the Zina Linnik Project and have worked with state legislators and The Greater Metro Parks Foundation to design and raise close to $3.5 million to refurbish two existing but run down parks in Zina's neighborhood.
The parks will eventually feature Ukrainian influenced designs, including a community garden, in honor of Zina's heritage, along with poetry, art, new equipment, and even a spray ground that will be installed at Tacoma's Wright Park.
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