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Visit the
Picture Page of
The Gathering
"Court stole the show with his incredible
music and showmanship...
there were times when you could have heard a
pin-drop
in the room
everyone was so
focused on his
technical style"
-Michael Tamburello
LFC
artist Court Shontz appears in a follow-up story on The Gathering
in the Inland Valley
Daily Bulletin newspaper
"In
the few days
I was there, I met several people of all ages. People who hurt just
like me. People who knew exactly how I was feeling."
Elisha Encinias
Columbine Student
"I
feel that it is important to keep giving all of the families the
opportunity to get together, to be able to talk things over with
people who really know what they are feeling and talking about.
I also feel that it is of great importance that our select group
does not grow any larger!"
-Michael Nickolauson
Springfield, Oregon
Visit the
Picture Page of
The Gathering
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Victims of School
Violence Find The Gathering Inspirational with Plans to Make it an Annual
Event
The first national meeting of the victims and survivors of school
violence in Ontario, California was a success. Sponsored by the Ontario
Police Department, it officially began on August 4th with a midday press
conference at the Ontario Airport Marriott where local politicians,
business people, project organizers and victims of school violence spoke.
Later that evening, a private and informal concert for the families
was held at the San Antonio Baptist Church in Upland, a town several
miles east of Ontario at the base of Mt. Baldy. The concert featured
local California musicians and artists from The Lullaby for Columbine
CD, Court Shontz a Littleton High School graduate and LFC producer,
Michael Tamburello, who performed several songs.
"Court stole the show with his incredible music and showmanship.
The young people really connected with him immediately and there were
times when you could have heard a pin-drop in the room everyone was
so focused on his technical style", said Tamburello, who performed
the title cut and a song by Brad Richardson titled "A Colorado
Columbine".
On Saturday, a public concert was held in Ontario at Chaffey High School
Stadium for young adults and teens where Court again played along with
other local and regional bands such as Antigen, The Rockets, and Last
Word along with 13 others. The event also featured skate board demonstrations
by a local skateboard artists and celebrity appearances including television
star David
Lago of the daytime soap drama, The Young and the Restless,
who signed autographs. Nina, Michael Tamburello's fifteen year old daughter who is a fan of the TV show, couldn't wait to get
her signed photograph of him.
"I didn't care much for the loud music, but it was worth coming
to the concert just to see David who's so cute and is such a nice guy
who cares about people", said Nina who enjoyed meeting the Columbine
students for the first time and making friends with many of the other
young people from around the country as LFC's "teen ambassador".
LFC had a booth along with several other organizations who also co-sponsored
the event. CD sales were low due to a relatively small turnout for the concert. Organizers said they advertised the event quite
heavily in Ontario, but at one point during the day, the quantity of
police guarding the event seem to outnumber the audience which consisted
of mostly young people standing directly in front of the stage, which
changed in size depending on which band was playing. Jon Dudley, of Birmingham, Alabama, one of the event's organizers,
said that success was not based on how many showed up, but what the
families were able to return home with in their lives.
Some members of the police department wore two hats that day like Detective
Byron Lee who was also producer for the concert.
"At times it got a little disorganized, but all in all, I think
everyone had a great time", he reflected in a hot California sun.
After the concert, the families attended an informal picnic in an outdoor
volleyball court behind the San Antonio Baptist Church sponsored by
Stephanie Curtis of California Cares for Colorado, another one of event's
major organizers. It became another magical time when the families spent
relaxing time together and had another chance to bond
Afterwards, everyone headed back to the Comfort Inn to cool off in the
pool and "hang out" till the early morning hours laughing,
sharing stories and packing away several dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
A couple of times, hotel management had to come out to ask everyone
to temper their enthusiasm so the other patrons could get their sleep
as laughter sometimes became so passionate, especially over Rich Petrone's
jolly demeanor which everyone appreciably became addicted to.
"I really enjoyed the opportunity to come together with other families
who had their lives impacted as I have with the death of my son"
reflected Sue Petrone, mother of Daniel Rohrbough who died at Columbine. "Coming
together was not an easy thing to do but it was extremely rewarding.
Laughter and tears are all an integral part of the healing process and
we certainly shared a lot of both, especially the laughter. I formed
new friendships that will continue to grow with time."
On
Sunday, many of the families headed out for a short day at Knott's Berry
Farm which arranged a photo session for their company newsletter at
the amusement park's entrance and generously provided free passes for
the families.
Everyone who came to The Gathering was impacted by it in their own special
way. One thing everyone enjoyed very much was the unique camaraderie
they shared together. The community was very supportive including the
local newspaper, The Daily Bulletin, which
gave the event "front page treatment" on their Saturday and
Sunday editions with color pictures including shots of the Columbine
victims at the press conference and LFC's Court Shontz performing at
the public concert.
Speaking candidly on the event, Columbine student, Elisha Encinias,
who was close friends with Rachel Scott reflected, "In the few
days I was there, I met several people of all ages. People who hurt
just like me. People who knew exactly how I was feeling. They shared
their stories with one another, and I shared mine with them. I offered
them as much help as I could possibly give, and they offered help back.
We had just met, yet we all felt as if we had known one another for
years. We were connected. We had all faced these senseless acts of violence.
We had all looked tragedy in the face and lost the ones we loved. Although
our loved ones are gone, we have acquired a kinship with others like
ourselves. We have become a very tight knit family."
Mike
Johnson, of Columbine High School, who was shot in the head and survived
poignantly remarks, "Columbine is now only a little more than a
year out of it, and it still seems like it will never end. To see other
people in different places who have had a little more time and have
moved on helps us realize that things will get better." He wrote
a story in this issue of LFCNews which further details what The Gathering
meant to him. Be sure to read Mike's
Story.
The thoughts of Michael Nickolauson, of Springfield, Oregon who lost
his son, Mikael, in the Thurston High School shooting probably summarizes
best what many experienced at The Gathering.
"The whole time I was watching those children get a new lease on
life, I kept thinking about Mikael, knowing how much he would have enjoyed
the Gathering! For me it was great opportunity for me to get to know
other parents, who had also gone through what I have. It gave me a new
group to talk to about things where I also don't have to worry about
them not understanding. I feel that it is important to keep giving all
of the families the opportunity to get together, to be able to talk
things over with people who really know what they are feeling and talking
about. I also feel that it is of great importance that our select group
does not grow any larger!"
The spirit of The Gathering continued in Littleton the following week
for the Columbine families when they met with their extended families
and friends on August 9th to tour the newly completed atrium at Columbine
School. Stephanie Curtis and Thurston High School graduate, Amber Hensley,
drove out from California to join them in the viewing of the new facility
which their organization helped raise funds for through a twelve city
trek they made across the country last Christmas called "The Twelve
Stops of Christmas".
"It was really great to see the satisfied expressions on so many
of the parents and students who studied every detail of the new atrium,"
said Stephanie. "I believe the change will be powerfully healing
for them, especially since they played a personal role in its creation."
Afterwards,
the Columbine families met for an informal dinner specially hosted for
them at a nearby restaurant where they continued to enjoy each other's
company and talk of all of their experiences with The Gathering.
Because of the positive impact The Gathering has had on all who attended,
many of the families are looking toward holding it annually to remain
bonded and keep the healing process in check with one another. Plans
are being discussed for such an event like this in other cities across
the country who have experienced school violence. Colorado is being
looked into as possibly the next place where an event like this might
again be held in 2001.
All of us at LFC thank the great people at Pegasus Travel in Denver
who worked very hard preparing the travel arrangements for the Columbine
families to attend The Gathering. We also thank America
West Airlines who generously discounted their airfare to
us, and we express our heartfelt gratitude to Captain Katie Roberts
and Detective Byron Lee
of the Ontario Police Department, Mike Cohen, Charlene Butolph, Jon
Dudley and Stephanie Curtis for their many thankless hours of coordinating
everything. LFC is very proud to have been a co-sponsor of this wonderful
event which played an important role in the ongoing process of healing
for all of the families.
Story
by LFC News Staff
Newspaper screenshot
courtesy of Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
Copyright © 2000 The Lullaby for
Columbine Project.
All Rights Reserved.
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