Lawton Community Comes Out to Remember Newtown.

We want to thank everyone that came out to our Candlelight Vigil to mourn and pray for the victims of the tragedy that befell on Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

All of the cards and items that were donated in last night’s remembrance will go to the community of Newtown. The banner that everyone signed with your messages will also be sent to them.

The world will never be able to experience all the novels, the ideas, the inventions or the music that these children could have created. To be taken away so young when the only worries these children had in the world were “I hope I was good enough for Santa to visit me on Christmas Day.”

In the words of Pastor Doug Passmore from last night’s speech:

“Many times in the mist of all this we get to wonder ‘Where is God in all of this, where do we find hope in all this?’ I’m sure there is a lot of parents up there in Connecticut wondering ‘Where is hope how do we go on.’ I think that is what our world is saying today, we are asking the question ‘Is there any hope?’”

Although the families in Connecticut may think that right now there is no hope, we must remind them that they do not have to go through this alone. Communities from all over the nation are mourning with them. We as a community are with them and we will never forget them. This town will let the people of Newtown know, that although times are dark we will grieve also and give them hope that they are not alone in this dark time.

Governor Mary Fallin has also declared today as a day of remembrance in Oklahoma for the tragedy that fell in Newtown.

“As Oklahomans, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims, their families and the entire community of Newtown, Connecticut,” Fallin said. “I encourage all Oklahomans to take time to observe this day with a moment of silence, a moment of prayer or reflection for the families and innocent victims of this horrible tragedy.”

We would especially like to thank KSWO-TV, The Lawton Constitution and Magic 95 for helping us get the word out for everyone to come out and remember the children whose flames were snuffed out too soon. We would also like to thank Lawton Truck and Audio for providing the banner for everyone to sign with their messages.

Thank you to Pastor  Doug Passmore and The First Baptist East Church Adult Choir, Annette Wiseman and The Compassionate Friends for making the butterfly ornaments that were hung on the Children’s Memorial Garden as well as their poetry reading, Lawton Floral for making the bows on the Memorial Garden tree, The City of Lawton for helping direct traffic as well as the Park & Recreations Department from the City with help in setting up the stage, Journey Production for providing the sound system as well as Executive Director of the YMCA Carl Rankin for the poem he read during the event. We would also like to thank the Holiday in the Park committee for the free hot chocolate that the passed out to everyone in attendance.

However, NONE of this would be possible without the support of the community and it is this community that we want to thank the most. THANK YOU for coming out to Elmer Thomas Park to pour your souls and the warmth that it provides to the cold, dark times that the people of Newtown are currently facing.