May 31, 2019 changed our communities forever. COVID19 has changed how we connect in 2020. Neither of these can dampen the spirit of people throughout Hampton Roads and beyond to honor those whose lives were lost, individuals that were injured and all that were witness to this tragic event.
Check out our Calendar of Events for a full list of activities.
From the City of Virginia Beach:
Lighting the Path: Together We Remember
We had plans for a ceremony and other special events to commemorate this day. And then, COVID-19 happened. Our plans have been adapted to create ways we can commemorate the day without compelling anyone to leave home or gather together. Great care has been taken to include a variety of activities that allow us to remember and reflect in our own ways and our own time. Individually, the different activities each have meaning. Taken together, we hope you will see we have created a full program while recognizing the realities of the pandemic.
Check www.loveforvb.com on May 31, 2020 for the virtual ceremony. It will be posted at 4:06 p.m. With that, other features on the Love for VB remembrance page will go live, as well.
At-Home Activities for 5.31.2020
Honoring the one-year mark of a day that changed our lives and our community forever. We invite you to come together in remembrance and have created several at-home activities for you to do:
- Wear Blue (the color of remembrance) on Friday, May 29
- Plant Forget-Me-Not flowers
- If you have a green thumb, plant some Forget-Me-Nots. They’re a perennial and will bloom year after year. In general, the meaning behind this flower is remembrance and love. We adapted it, creating our own version that includes elements representing the 17 victims and the community that surrounds them.
- Window Displays
- You can show your support and honor the memories of those we lost by downloading a finished version of our Forget-Me-Not flower design or get the therapeutic benefits from coloring and creating art by downloading one of the blank coloring sheets. Just download the Forget-Me-Not symbol of your choice and place it in your window or somewhere it is visible to those passing by.
- Leave your light on Sunday, May 31, (white or blue)
- Social Media Frame:
- We created Forget-Me-Not frames you can add to your Facebook profile picture.
- Go to www.facebook.com/profilepicframes.
- Search for “Love For VB.”
- Choose the frame you want to use from the results.
- Click Use as Profile Picture.
- Or, use these links below to go directly to the frame
- Go to www.facebook.com/profilepicframes.
- We created Forget-Me-Not frames you can add to your Facebook profile picture.
Friday, May 29
- Wear blue for remembrance
- Place Forget-Me-Not display in your window for the weekend
- Add the Forget-Me-Not social media frame to your Facebook profile photo for the weekend
- 4:06 Moment of Silence wherever you are
- Lighting the Path: Together We Remember Tribute installation at Building 2 and at Mount Trashmore Park (side of the hill that faces 264) through Sunday, May 31
Sunday, May 31
- 4:06 Online Remembrance Ceremony
- Leave your porch light on blue/white in remembrance
Check the VB Strong calendar of events for more opportunities to be involved.
If you or someone you know is struggling as a result of 5-31-2019, please call or email the VB Strong Center for help. We provide free programs on an array of topics from self-care and creating a care plan to understanding trauma and recovery. The VB Strong Clinical Team is also available to meet individually to help navigate tough times and create a personalized mental wellness plan.
Call 757-507-7200 or email vbstrongcenter@sentara.com