This past Wednesday, a man walked into a fitness club in Collier Township, Allegheny County, and opened fire on a women’s aerobics class. Three women died and nine more were wounded. The Women and Girls Foundation is organizing a candlelight vigil to be held in the portico of the City-County Building in Downtown, Pittsburgh, Thursday August 6th at 5:30pm to offer support and non-denominational prayers to the victims and families of the Collier Shooting.
“We are organizing this vigil so that we can join together as a community to send collective prayers to the families of the women who were killed and the women who are still in critical condition, as a result of this horrific and violent act against women,” said Executive Director Heather Arnet. “From the murderer’s own blog and note, it is more than evident that the focus of his rage and violence was women. This vigil is intended to send strength and prayers to the families who are grieving and for those women and their families who are hoping to heal from this horrific event.”
All members of the community are encouraged and welcome to attend. Participating in the vigil will be representatives from the Women and Girls Foundation, local elected officials, the National Organization for Women, National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburghers Against Domestic Violence, local victims service agencies, and many other community organizations. All are welcome.
Also participating in the vigil will be members of Women and Girls Foundation’s Regional Change Agents, a diverse group of 15 teen girls and 15 adult women from Allegheny, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, who have come together to engage in civic advocacy in their communities to support women. The tragic events of Tuesday night have moved the Allegheny County team of Regional Change Agents to call attention to the inexcusable acts of violence against women within our community and beyond it.
Please help support WGF’s efforts by passing this information to your friends and networks! For questions or more information, please contact WGF at 412.434.4883 or info@wgfpa.org .
