Remembering January 8, “Honoring the Spirit of Tucson”
Not many of us can forget that horrendous event of the January 8, 2011 mass shooting here in Tucson, or the outpouring of community caring & support after that tragedy. 6 innocent citizens (including a nine year old girl and a federal district judge) were gunned down in front of that Safeway Supermarket, and 13 (including a 3-term U.S. Congresswoman) were wounded.
We remember January 8th. How could we forget? I took photos of each of the 3 memorials that sprung up after the shooting, which are hyperlinked at the end of this blog.
http://www.rememberingjanuary8.org/
Listed below are community events scheduled for January 8:
January 8th
Together Tucson7:00 am Ben’s Bells Distribution
Description: Hundreds of Ben’s Bells will be randomly distributed throughout Tucson in memory of those we lost on January 8th, 2011 and in gratitude for our beautifully supportive community.
Location:Ben’s Bells Main Gate, 816 E. University Blvd.
Contact: Phone:520-628-28298am-5:pm Tohono Chul Park Complimentary Admission Day
Description:In remembrance of January 8th, Tohono Chul Park will open its gates free of charge to offer the community a place of quite reflection.
Location:Tohono Chul Park – 7366 N. Paseo del Norte10-5pm A Day of Kindness at the Children’s Museum Tucson
Description: Join Ben’s Bells at the Children’s Museum Tucson For a Day of Kindness. Ben’s Bells invites families to gather to sign the Kindness Contract, to paint Kindness Coins and to hang Kindness Wishes in the trees at the Museum. The Museum will serve as a gathering point for families to celebrate the kindness in our community.
Location: Children’s Museum Tucson, 260 S. 6th Ave.
Contact: 520-792-9985 (Children’s Museum), 520-628-2829 (Ben’s Bells)10:11am Community-wide Ringing of Bells
10:15 am Remembering January 8, 2011: Hurting, Healing, Hoping
Description: January 8, 2012, marks the first anniversary of the Tucson tragedy where six people died and thirteen were injured. Join the Rev. Dr. John Kitagawa, at 10:15 a.m., remembering and reflecting on our memories of that day and the year that has followed. In this session, we remember those lost and injured and share reflections of the time since the tragedy. All are welcome to join in this community conversation in the Murphey Gallery at St. Philip’s and at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services which will also honor the tragedy of January 8, 2011.
Location:St. Philip’s In The Hills Episcopal Church, 4440 N. Campbell Ave. at River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718
10:45- noon Journey from Mental Illness to Mental Health
St. Francis in the Foothills is offering a class that is open to the public discussing the journey from mental Illness to mental health. Members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will be presenting information to enlarge community mental health awareness and promote civil engagement.
Location: St. Francis in the Foothills, 4625 E. River Rd (River west of Swan), Tucson, Arizona
1:00pm “We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe” Interfaith Service
Description: All faith communities in Tucson are invited to join in commemoration of both the tragedy and the triumph of Jan. 8, 2011. The service will consist of prayer, music, reflections, dance and the participation of those attending. The service will include Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Baha’i and Sikh traditions of prayer.
Location: St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona
3:00pm Reflections: Honoring the lives of January 8 shooting victims
Description: A series of talks reflecting on the lives of Congresswoman Giffords and those who were killed on January 8.
Speakers include:
Senator Mark Udall (for Congresswoman Giffords)
Federal Judge Raner Collins (for Judge John Roll)
Pat Maisch (for the survivors and citizen heroes)
Dr. Lattie Coor (for Gabe Zimmerman)
Dr.Andrew Ross (for Phyllis Schneck)
Serenity Hammerich & Jamie Stone (for Christina-Taylor Green)
Ron Barber (for Dorwin Stoddard)
Brandon Nelson (for Dorothy Morris)Location: Centennial Hall – University of Arizona Campus, 1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ. Tickets are free and can be picked up at the UA Centennial Hall’s box office, 2020 E. University Blvd.; The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, 2250 E. Broadway; and Pima Council on Aging, 8467 E. Broadway.
6:30pm Candlelight Vigil
University of Arizona MallCommunity members are encouraged to attend and show their support for the families of victims and the survivors. Those attending are asked not to bring candles. Glowsticks will be provided at the vigil to all those in attendance.
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra will perform and confirmed speakers include:
Eugene G. Sander, President, University of Arizona
Ken Bennett, Arizona Secretary of State
Honorable Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor, City of Tucson
Dr. Peter Rhee, Chief, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, The University of Arizona Medical Center
Mark Kelly, Captain, USN (Retired) Spouse, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
The emcee for the evening will be Ron Barber, survivor and founder of the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding.
1/4/11 UPDATE: Injured Congresswoman Giffords will also be attending this vigil (click here).
6:30 pm Shining the Light of Hope and Peace
Description: The entire Tucson community is invited to attend a special evening service of songs, prayer and healing.
Location: Northminster Presbyterian Church, 2450 East Fort Lowell Road, Tucson, Arizona
Contact: 520-327-7121, ext. 229
For more information: Daniel J. Benavidez at
(520) 331-4989, or info@rememberingjanuary8.org.
And for more events commemorating 1/8/11, read my blog on “BEYOND” Tucson (click here) for info and updated website events on what’s happening the day before (January 7) all over Southern Arizona.
Photo gallery of UMC memorial (click here).
Photo gallery of Congresswoman Giffords’ office memorial (click here).
Photo gallery of the Safeway memorial (click here).
And recently I posted a blog about an upcoming PBS documentary about the shooting victims & aftermath entitled “Together We Heal” to show on January 5 & 8, 2012 (click here).
On Wednesday at a press conference for BEYOND, I met Ross Zimmerman, father of the late Gabe Zimmerman, and Suzi Hileman who took the late Christina-Taylor Green to that “Congress on your Corner” (and who was also shot three times.) I felt their pain as victims of that shooting. Let us participate in “honoring the spirit of Tucson” on January 8, 2012.