The Dobkin Butterfly Habitat stands as a heartfelt tribute to a family’s enduring love and the memory of their son.
written by ALISHA JARRETT
photo courtesy of MELISSA KNOLLINGER
THE NEW DOBKIN BUTTERFLY HABITAT, located in the Schrader Environmental Center at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, serves as more than just a place for people to learn about butterflies—it is also a special reminder of a local family’s lost loved one.
Amy Dobkin and her husband, Robert, have utilized the Schrader Center for years—hiking on the trails, planning family outings, and sending their youngest son, Ben, to summer camp. However, it wasn’t until the opportunity to participate in a philanthropic event for the butterfly habitat that Dobkin realized the space could serve as a unique memorial to her oldest son, Jacob, who passed away when he was just 8 days old in 2008.
“I knew we had to be involved,” Dobkin says. “The center was a huge part of Ben’s early upbringing, and his experiences at the camps helped shape him. Additionally, I’ve always associated butterflies with Jacob. After he passed, my husband and I wanted to support a memorial project in his name. When I came across this opportunity, I told him, ‘This is it.’ It’s something that touches both of our kids.”
The habitat was dedicated in May 2025 and is set to open on May 23, 2026. Visitors can explore various butterfly species and their life cycles during the viewing season, which runs until September and culminates in a “release day” for the butterflies.
“It’s very representative of life,” Dobkin says. “I hope this space can be used as a place of transformation, reflection, solitude, and maybe even inspiration.”
Dobkin finds peace in knowing that the habitat will be open annually, keeping Jacob’s story alive. “I want people to know Jacob existed, even if only for a short time,” she says. “Now, through the butterflies, his memory can live on for years to come.”
722 Waddington Drive, Wheeling, oionline.com/schrader, @schradercenter on FB
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