Activists seeking to end gun violence held their fourth annual Thanksgiving Community Meal at Crispus Attucks Community Center in Lancaster. SWAN students added their beautiful smiles and music to the event, which combined a free Thanksgiving meal with a message of hope and unity.
As attendees entered the parking lot, they saw an extended display of T-shirts bearing the names and ages of Lancaster’s victims of gun violence. Why did there have to be so many shirts, and why did the youngest victim have to be one year old? Why did there have to be names for every age group, from infants to teens to 50 years and older? The “Memorial to the Lost” was a poignant and needful display.
The event was put on by The Endall Movement, founded by Lindsey Martin in honor of her fiancé, Kendall Cook, a gun violence victim.”Life After Loss” also contributed, believing that such events remind us that we are not alone and that together, we can create safer, stronger neighborhoods.
That message went forth as community members brought generous food trays, volunteered to serve their neighbors, and created music that calmed and cheered everyone’s spirits. What an honor it was for our students to be with their community and contribute to such an event.
