(February) The 'Main Portal' is dedicated by benefactor Steve Silver, the creator and producer of San Francisco's Beach Blanket Babylon, on his 51st (and last) birthday. In Steve's words: "The Grove represents the spirit of the people who have left and the memories that will always be there." (July) The first full-time gardener funded by the Grove begins as part of agreement with the San Francisco Parks Dept. The full-time gardener, Joan Chase Velluntini, has worked at Golden Gate Park for 20 years. (December) On World AIDS Day the 7 ton Sierra granite boulder with inscribed Grove sign is installed at the entrance terrace of the 'Main Portal'. National AIDS Memorial Grove 1996 (February) Roll-out of the 'Circle of Friends' feature, a terrace of honor and memory, and place for names to be engraved into the floor of flagstone. New names will be added annually — inscribed before the Grove's World AIDS Day commemoration each December 1. A later inscription expresses the 'Circle of Friends' spirit of place: “Circle of Friends: Lives Touched By AIDS…Donors to the Grove…Those Who Have Died…Those Who Loved Them.” (April) NBC's Today Show spotlights the AIDS Memorial Grove in a segment by correspondent Dawn Frantangelo. It was filmed in January during the inscribing of her AIDS deceased brother's name for 'Circle of Friends' inclusion. The 'Dogwood Crescent', home of the 'Circle of Friends' terrace, is created. The 'Woodland Path' accessibility ramp from the 'South Portal' is built. The 'Meadow Overlook' is created at the 'West Portal', through the first major capital campaign gift, funded by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund The 'Woodland Stream' is created over two work-days, by bucket brigades of volunteers handing stones from delivery pallets into the streambed. National Memorial of the United States (October) U.S. Congress designates The AIDS Memorial Grove as an official National Memorial of the United States. Legislation was written by Executive Director Kerry Enright, who worked with staff of Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein. (December) World AIDS Day; Dedication of the 'South Portal' feature, underwritten by Terry Watanabe of Omaha 1997 The 'Fern Grotto', a gathering place with the 'Circle of Peace' circular terrace, is created in the far western section of the Grove. A poem by Thom Gunn is inscribed here: "dedicated to all of the unidentified individuals who fell victim to AIDS." 1998 (August) Garden Design magazine publishes the article “A Healing