DEAR EDITOR:

The senseless murder of 4-year-old Rowan Sweeney is truly heartbreaking.

The outpouring of community grief as indicated by the innumerable stuffed animals, balloons, flowers and other mementos shown in various media, stacked in front of his home, is understandable. It has become a predictable phenomenon going back at least to the death of Princess Diana in 1997. Even the steps of the Supreme Court are crammed with various tributes to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

I understand the desire for individuals to tangibly express their sorrow, to demonstrate some degree of support for the family and to create a sense of connection to these events. Where I have a feeling of discomfort is with the fact that these acts of compassion have virtually no ongoing benefit or even short-term impact beyond the time these items are left exposed to the elements until they generally become useless.

Would it not be a better tribute to the lives we grieve if we directed our resources to community organizations and programs that could genuinely memorialize them? Even at a few dollars each, the total expenditure on the items left unprotected is considerable. Couldn’t these funds, donated in Rowan’s memory, be more effectively used by the many worthy nonprofits that serve the Valley?

The Beatitude House helps families in crisis. The Rescue Mission is dedicated to the needs of the homeless. The Second Harvest Food Bank feeds our hungry. Any church, school, social service agency would gladly welcome donations in his memory.

Yes, each expenditure may only be a few dollars, but when totaled and directed in a meaningful way to worthy entities by a heartbroken community, I believe it would have a much more inspiring and lasting impact.

It is not my intent to offend the individuals who feel moved to leave some expression of their sincere grief, but I will be making a donation in Rowan’s memory to a worthy charity, even though I have no connection to or familiarity with his family. It just seems more appropriate to me. I will keep him and his family in my prayers. May little Rowan rest in peace.

TIM WAGNER

Youngstown