Remembering the Parkland 17: Community events are set for Friday
Seven years after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, we remember the 17 who died.
The South Florida community on Friday will gather at events in remembrance of the lives lost: Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, Martin Duque Anguiano, Nicholas Dworet, Aaron Feis, Jaime Guttenberg, Christopher Hixon, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Montalto, Joaquin Oliver, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alex Schachter, Carmen Schentrup and Peter Wang.
The events are held because the community must remember — and can’t forget, Parkland Mayor Rich Walker said. The Feb. 14, 2018, shooting took the lives of 17 students and staff, and also injured 17 others. “It’s important we do remember the victims because their names need to live on forever,” Walker said. “They were taken away tragically in the shooting, and it’s our obligation to make sure their names are never forgotten.”
Among the events:
— Broward County Public Schools on Friday will host “A Day of Service and Love,” when students, staff and volunteers will support one another through many service activities at schools across the county. In addition, at 10:17 a.m., public schools will observe a moment of reflection in honor of the 17.
— The city of Parkland will host a Community Commemoration to honor the 17 victims. It will be held at 5 p.m. at the Amphitheatre at Pine Trails Park at 10561 Trails End.
— The annual “Forever in Our Hearts” commemoration, which supports the healing of survivors and the community, will be held at the Eagles’ Haven Wellness Center, at 5655 Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs. Activities begin at 1:30 p.m., including a candle-lighting and dove-release ceremony.
The center operates year-round to provide services for both school survivors and anybody affected, including their families and anyone in the community who needs help, said Rebecca Jarquin, director of Eagles’ Haven.
Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com. Follow on X, formerly Twitter, @LisaHuriash