Dayton to mark massacre anniversary
Dayton on Friday announced plans to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Oregon District mass shooting that left nine people dead and dozens injured.
The anniversary is Aug. 4, and the commemoration has been planned with coronavirus pandemic protocols in mind.
The city, along with several community partners, will have virtual events to help remember and honor victims and survivors.
The events have been branded “Dayton Shines,” a reference to the Gem City Shine event held after the tragedy that brought tens of thousands of people together the Oregon District in a celebration of life and love.
“In the midst of an already difficult year, on Aug. 4, 2019, we joined the sad list of cities terrorized by a mass shooting,” Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said in a statement. “Although we have been forced to change our initial plans due to the current health crisis, we are hopeful that these events will still allow people to express themselves and still come together as a community.”
They ask community members who participate to follow the state’s safety guidelines.
The events include:
• Nine Minutes of Silence. This will take place at 8:04 p.m. Aug. 4, to remember the nine victims of the shooting. The city will provide a link to a video tribute to victims on its Facebook page for nine minutes. Participants are encouraged to light a candle and reflect on the lives lost and why #Daytonshines.
• Photo mosaic. This will be made of a collection of contributed pictures pieced together to create a memorial image. The final mosaic will showcase how the Dayton community continues to remember the people killed and how the community came together to make Dayton shine. The final design will be unveiled on Aug. 4 at daytonohio.gov/ Daytonshines. Everyone can participate in the community project, but the deadline to submit a photo is 5 p.m. Aug. 2.
To submit a photo for the memorial mosaic:
1. Take a photo of yourself, your family/friends, or something that represents how #Daytonshines (photos in a square format are preferred, but not required).
2. Text the photo to 937-230-7547.
3. Reply “yes” to the automated text response to confirm the photo entry into the mosaic.
• Remembrance Candles. They will be sold for use during the Nine Minutes of Silence. Candles are for sale for $10/ each from 6 p.m. July 24 to noon Aug. 2. They can be purchased online at www.1880candleco.com/daytonshines. All proceeds from the candles will be donated to the Oregon District Business Association.
• Dayton’s Darkest Summer: The
Rise from Tragedy. This 17-minute documentary looks at the tornadoes and mass shooting that devastated lives across the Dayton region last year. Dayton’s Darkest Summer is the fifth documentary produced by University of Dayton media production students, with help of media specialists. The documentary originally premiered online in May, with screenings on three nights hosted by the Department of Communication via Zoom. A re-release is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 3. More information is available at daytonohio. gov/daytonshines.
• Facing Project. The Dayton International Peace Museum and The Facing Project partnered to collect stories about gun violence in the community. Some stories from the Aug. 4 tragedy will be featured in a radio broadcast available on the Dayton International Peace Museum website on Aug. 4. For more information, visit http://gunviolence.facingproject.com/ or http://daytonpeacemuseum.org.