DAVENPORT--- Families and volunteers gathered outside the First Presbyterian Church in Davenport, June 8, to set up 26 bright colored t-shirts with the names dates and ages of victims who died from gun violence.
The names of innocent victims dating back to 2013.
“We’re in the business of not forgetting of remembering those who lost their lives innocently to gun violence,” says Reverend Richard Miller from the First Presbyterian Church.
A t-shirt with Ayana Culbreath’s name was on display, a 15-year-old girl shot to death almost two years ago.
Her older sister Sharday Burkhart says it is a day she will never forget.
“She was at a bon fire and she was just an innocent bystander and got shot. Killed in the middle of crossfire…It gives everyone a chance to see the effects of what’s going on,” says Burkhart.
Last year the group set up 19 shirts outside the church, but that number has grown to 26 this year.
“This issue is one that we read about it in the newspaper and something will happen and then we forget this is a way to remember,” says Reverend Miller.
The Memorial to the Lost will be on display at the First Presbyterian Church until Saturday, June 16. It will then be moved to the Third Missionary Baptist Church.
Volunteers plan to walk the display over to the following eight churches through the next two months.
- Third Missionary Baptist Church—June 16
- Bethel AME – June 23rd
- Trinity—June 30th
- John Methodist—July 7th
- First Baptist—July 16th
- Sacred Heart Cathedral—July 21st
- First Christian—July 28th
- First Presbyterian Church—August 4th