On February 21, 2018, the Norco City Council approved the construction of a Healing Grove Memorial at Pikes Peak Park, located at 97 Sixth Street in Norco. The Healing Grove Project was sponsored by the Incredible Edible Community Garden Foundation, an organization that is building groves throughout the Inland Empire to honor those who were tragically killed in the 2015 San Bernardino Terrorist Attack. The Memorial in Norco honors Bennetta Betbadal, one of the 14 individuals killed in the attack. A dedication ceremony was held on March 10, 2018.

The Incredible Edible Community Garden Foundation continues to is build healing groves in neighborhoods where the 14 deceased victims lived when they lost their lives. Ms. Betbadal is survived by her husband and three children, who now live in Norco. Her husband, Arlen Verdehyou, selected Pikes Peak Park as the location for the Memorial because the park provides a place for families to gather. In addition, the park offers a location with an elevated view for people to sit, reflect and be thankful for life.

The Healing Grove Memorial was constructed in the shape of a heart. The grove includes 14 trees to symbolize each individual who was killed in the terrorist attack. One of the 14 trees is a Jacaranda Mimosifolia, named “Bennetta’s Tree,” while the remaining 13 trees are Eastern Redbuds. Inside the heart-shaped grove, multiple trees are planted to represent members of Ms. Betbadal’s family, including one Sawleaf Zelkova to represent her husband, one Crepe Myrtle to represent her daughter, two Chinese Flame Trees to represent her two sons, and two Chinese Pistache Trees to represent her mother and father.

The Incredible Edible Community Garden Foundation will monitor the trees for three years at no cost to the City of Norco, and will replace any trees that do not survive. This project is funded by the Incredible Edible Community Garden Foundation in partnership with the City of Norco, CAL FIRE and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.